Australian MP tells inquiry Copilot suggested congratulating a dying constituent
single source· 1 articles · confidence: medium · first seen 2026-09-18 09:05 UTC
What this means for you
Nothing to act on yet. This is testimony to an Australian inquiry, with no finding, draft bill or timetable attached. If you build assistants that draft correspondence, the reported failure is register rather than fact: the suggested replies were cheerful answers to a distressing letter.
Andrew Hastie, a Liberal MP in Australia, told a parliamentary inquiry on Friday that Microsoft Copilot offered him suggested replies including "congratulations!" and "that is wonderful news!" to a constituent who wrote saying he planned to end his life with voluntary assisted dying. Hastie cited the episode as evidence of the shortcomings of American-run software and called for AI operated by Australians. A cyber chief at the same hearing said the technology is needed to fend off "highly capable malicious cyber actors". Microsoft has not commented.
Key facts
- ·Andrew Hastie is a Liberal member of Australia's parliament source
- ·Hastie told a parliamentary inquiry on Friday 18 September 2026 source
- ·Microsoft Copilot suggested replies including "congratulations!", "great to hear from you" and "that is wonderful news!" to a constituent who wrote that he planned to end his life with voluntary assisted dying source
- ·Hastie used the episode to call for AI run by Australians, describing the software as American-run source
- ·A cyber chief told the same inquiry the technology is needed to fend off "highly capable malicious cyber actors" source
What the sources say
- The Guardian AI — Reports an MP's inquiry testimony on an assistant's misfired suggested replies to a constituent
Sources
The original reporting. Follow these — they did the work.