# Top OpenAI boss on hack apology tour 'can't explain' Australian AI distrust

Canonical source: https://webcam.substack.com/p/top-openai-boss-on-hack-apology-tour
Publication: webcam
Published: 2026-10-06T11:05:13+00:00
Content role: commentary

Archive updated: 2026-10-06T14:13:26+00:00

## Summary

OpenAI's chief strategy officer, Jason Kwon, made his first public appearance in Sydney since the hack, saying he could not explain why Australians distrust AI.

## Public text

Hi!

Read: Top OpenAI boss on hack apology tour 'can't explain' Australian AI distrust

Kwon made the comments when I was interviewing him on the way out of the highly anticipated hearing.

I asked him why Australians should feel comfortable with AI, and OpenAI's tech in particular, after the past few weeks and months of news of hacks and AI doomerism.

Kwon said that Australians are among some of the highest adopters of AI in the world.

That's true, I said, but Australians are also among the most distrustful.

His answer was that he couldn't explain that lack of trust — just minutes after saying he was working to win back Australian trust — but pledged that OpenAI would get better.

I thought it was an interesting blind spot given the company's Australian ambitions! Surely this dynamic would be on your radar, but it didn't seem to be something that he had an answer to. At least not at this point!

Thanks, CW

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