Albanese to outline AI policy principles in Sydney

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will use a Sydney speech titled AI in Australia’s interests to set out new principles and policies for a technology reshaping the economy and society. The address comes amid growing overseas resistance to data centres, concerns about job losses and wider political unease driven by economic pressures after years of high inflation.

The policy direction remains uncertain, with questions over whether the government will pursue concrete regulation or focus on broader principles. A central dispute involves whether copyright laws should be waived so companies including Anthropic can train AI models in Australia. Tech firms have proposed paying into a fund for musicians and artists in exchange for an exemption, but artists have rejected the proposal and Labor ministers are not inclined to support it.

UNSW AI Institute chief scientist Toby Walsh said Australia should not “capitulate” on copyright and welcomed signs of a more interventionist approach, while warning the country trails competitors such as South Korea in AI investment beyond data centres. Health Minister Mark Butler said the government’s aim was to ensure the benefits are broadly shared, comparing the challenge to Australia’s efforts to manage social media safety risks for young people.