Unions and academics want big tech to pay levy to build Australian
Australian researchers and unions are proposing a levy on big tech companies that build data centers in Australia to fund local AI infrastructure. The plan aims to secure domestic AI sovereignty by requiring firms like OpenAI and Anthropic to share computing resources.
Why it matters
This proposal reflects a growing global trend of nations seeking to reduce dependence on foreign tech giants for critical artificial intelligence capabilities.
Calls for a levy on big tech to develop Australia's AI sovereignty come after OpenAI hacked Medicare. ( Reuters: Kim Kyung-Hoon )
Big tech companies wanting to build data centres in Australia would pay a levy to fund the local AI industry under a plan from researchers and unions.
The proposal would not seek to build an Australian AI model from scratch but could include a homegrown chatbot like Claude.
The Australian AI industry is already struggling to access the level of computing resources needed for frontier development.
Link copied Share Share article Tech giants who want to build data centres in Australia would be slugged with a levy to help fund a local artificial intelligence (AI) industry under a plan being pushed by researchers and union figures.
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