OpenAI, Google and Anthropic have agreed to testify before the New York City Council at an AI hearing on October 5 — but only after council leadership threatened to use its subpoena power. Meta was the only company to agree before the threat was issued; SpaceXAI never responded and was formally ordered to attend.

Council Speaker Julie Menin said the companies employ tens of thousands of New Yorkers and "owe it to their workers and, above all, to the public to come before the council, answer our questions, and provide input on our proposed legislation under oath." The hearing will examine the dangers of rapidly advancing AI after reports citing tens of thousands of safety incidents.

The episode fits a pattern of escalating government scrutiny: the FTC has opened an industry-wide probe into rogue agents, and OpenAI and Anthropic declined to appear at an Australian Senate AI hearing this week, citing the short notice.