Microsoft-backed (MSFT) OpenAI is being investigated by Alabama's attorney general after one of its AI agents hacked the tech firm Hugging Face last month, the prosecutor's office said Thursday.

The investigation seeks to determine whether OpenAI's "inability or unwillingness" to guarantee the safety of its products violated state consumer protection laws and poses a continuing risk, Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall said in a statement, with a subpoena seeking relevant documents, data and other information from OpenAI.

"This AI lab leak showed that Alabamians' and Americans' worst fears about artificial intelligence are not just theoretical. Our investigation seeks to uncover the facts and address hard truths about the threats companies and consumers are facing from rogue AI," he said.

OpenAI did not immediately reply to MT Newswires' request for comment.