Copyright law is now the biggest battleground in Australia's AI boom
Australia is facing a critical juncture as AI companies demand copyright law reform before committing to major data center investments. The government is currently weighing these corporate requirements against the rights of local creators to ensure the country remains a competitive global AI hub.
Why it matters
This highlights the growing tension between international AI development and national intellectual property frameworks, which could dictate the future of global AI infrastructure.
Link copied Share Share article Tens of billions of dollars in investment, and Australia's ambition to become a global AI power, could hinge on a law passed before humans walked on the moon, the Sydney Opera House opened, or Gough Whitlam became prime minister.
Australia's copyright law was written in 1968 for an era of black-and-white television, film and radio.
More than half a century later, copyright has become an unlikely red line for AI companies looking to make Australia their second home.
These companies say the legal uncertainty over copyright and their technology is a major hurdle to them making significant investments on Australian soil.
At the same time, writers, musicians, artists and publishers say they want control of their own work and fair value for what has already been taken from them.
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