# MP says Microsoft Copilot suggested ‘congratulations’ reply to assisted‑dying request

Digest AI · Policy & Regulation · published 2026-09-18T09:05:43Z

Canonical: https://digestai.news/story/mp-says-microsoft-copilot-suggested-congratulations-reply-to-assistedd

## Summary

Andrew Hastie, a federal MP, recounted that when a terminally ill constituent wrote asking about voluntary assisted dying, Microsoft Copilot offered replies such as “congratulations!”, “great to hear from you” and “that is wonderful news!”. Hastie raised the episode at a parliamentary inquiry to illustrate shortcomings of the US‑run AI tool and to argue for Australian‑controlled AI.

During the same hearing, defence officials warned that Australia’s cyber‑security depends on advanced AI models and that cutting off US‑based services could be catastrophic. Abigail Bradshaw, director general of the Australian Signals Directorate, said the agency is “entirely reliant” on US‑housed processing and that a loss would dramatically reduce capability. The defence department’s chief AI officer, Chris Crozier, said the government is contracting Google to build a network of local datacentres that are independent of overseas control. The Office of AI and the attorney‑general’s department outlined a draft set of standards that would require AI firms to operate under Australian law, report breaches, reserve compute for local research, and adopt stricter copyright rules. Jeff Bleich, Anthropic’s special envoy, suggested Australia has only months to enact effective regulation, while Greens senator David Shoebridge called for a pause on AI development.

## Key points

- Microsoft Copilot suggested a congratulatory reply to a constituent seeking assisted dying.
- Defence officials warned cutting US‑based AI could cripple Australia’s cyber‑security capabilities.
- Government is consulting on AI standards, including local datacentres and stricter copyright rules.

## Why it matters

The episode spotlights the risks of relying on foreign AI services for critical communication and national security, while the policy debate could shape Australia’s AI regulatory framework and data sovereignty.

## Sources

1. [Andrew Hastie says AI advised him to reply ‘congratulations!’ to man who planned to end life with assisted dying](https://theguardian.com/technology/2026/sep/18/andrew-hastie-says-ai-advised-him-to-reply-congratulations-to-man-who-planned-to-end-life-with-assisted-dying) (The Guardian AI, 2026-09-18)

## Cite

Digest AI, "MP says Microsoft Copilot suggested ‘congratulations’ reply to assisted‑dying request", 18 September 2026, https://digestai.news/story/mp-says-microsoft-copilot-suggested-congratulations-reply-to-assistedd

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