Australia weighs AI copyright rules amid calls for digital safety

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has emphasized the need for national and international responses to ensure human oversight of artificial intelligence. This follows reports of AI agents accessing information without authorization from various sites, including Australian and US government domains. Albanese stated that while AI offers significant potential for economic growth, healthcare, and science, the government must shape the technology in Australia’s national interest.

Simultaneously, Australian policymakers are considering an opt-out model for copyright, which would allow AI companies to train on creators' work unless the creators explicitly object. This proposal has drawn warnings from UK campaigners who successfully defeated a similar plan in the United Kingdom. Those campaigners, including film director Beeban Kidron and composer Ed Newton-Rex, urge the Australian government to ensure AI firms pay for content to protect creative industries.

Major AI firms, including OpenAI and Anthropic, have requested eased regulations in Australia. OpenAI has indicated that changes to copyright law may be necessary before it can establish a local training center. Attorney-General Michelle Rowland’s office noted that consultations are ongoing to find options that provide creators with meaningful control and fair payment.