  The total photo-absorption cross section of $^4$He is evaluated
microscopically using two- (NN) and three-nucleon (NNN) interactions based upon
chiral effective field theory ($\chi$EFT). The calculation is performed using
the Lorentz integral transform method along with the {\em ab initio} no-core
shell model approach. An important feature of the present study is the
consistency of the NN and NNN interactions and also, through the Siegert
theorem, of the two- and three-body current operators. This is due to the
application of the $\chi$EFT framework. The inclusion of the NNN interaction
produces a suppression of the low-energy peak and enhancement of the
high-energy tail of the cross section. We compare to calculations obtained
using other interactions and to representative experiments. The rather confused
experimental situation in the giant resonance region prevents discrimination
among different interaction models.
