Australia's tech leaders back Albanese's AI strategy

Australian technology leaders have backed Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's new AI strategy, with responses centred on regulation, workforce skills, copyright and Australia's role in applied AI.

The plan includes a new Office of AI, mandatory standards for large-scale data centres and a proposed approach to AI copyright. Industry figures said the announcement marked a shift from broad policy goals to implementation and adoption rules.

Several executives argued that clearer regulation could remove uncertainty that has slowed boardroom decisions. They said businesses are ready to use AI more widely but need a more defined national framework.

"Good regulation should clear the road, not put up more roadblocks. Many Australian businesses are ready to move on AI, but boards are still asking what the rules are.

"Clear national standards would give them the confidence to get on with it, while protecting Australians as AI becomes part of everyday life, including how we shop," said Jonathan Reeve, Regional Director, ANZ, Eagle Eye.

Creator rights

Copyright and licensing emerged as central issues in responses from companies working with creative content. Con Raso of Tuned Global said Australia should avoid treating innovation and creator protection as competing goals.

"Australia should move quickly on AI. The productivity gains and economic opportunity are simply too significant to ignore. But what we should avoid is creating a false choice between innovation and protecting creators. We can achieve both.

"Tuned Global works with companies that are already using AI in music responsibly today. They're licensing content, respecting rights and building products that create value for both technology companies and rights holders. This isn't a theoretical future - it is already happening.

"As a company working at the intersection of music, rights management and AI, we welcome the creation of an Office of AI. However, its role should extend beyond regulation. Australia has an opportunity to lead by creating the technical and commercial infrastructure that enables responsible AI at scale - where rights are discoverable, licensing is frictionless and usage is transparent.

"Responsible licensing is not a barrier to AI innovation, it is what enables AI to scale with the confidence of creators, technology companies and investors alike. If Australia gets this balance right, we can become a global leader in trusted AI while strengthening both our technology sector and our creative industries," said Con Raso, Managing Director and Co-Founder, Tuned Global.

His comments reflect a broader debate over how Australia should manage the use of copyrighted material in AI systems. Supporters of stronger rules say legal certainty could help technology firms and rights holders negotiate licensing arrangements more consistently.

Applied AI

Others said Australia should focus less on building foundation models and more on sectors where it has operational data and industry expertise. That view was strongest in comments on mining and industrial automation.

"Australia won't build the next Claude or ChatGPT. That race is over, and it was never ours to win.

"The intelligence layer is quickly becoming a utility, like electricity or water. We expect to have access to it. The mistake is reading that as a loss, and missing the game Australia can win.

"Australia runs one of the largest fleets of autonomous haul trucks on earth. Driverless 300-tonne trucks move iron ore across the Pilbara around the clock in 50-degree heat. We've done this at scale for years. So although an American lab can build a model that understands mining in the abstract, it cannot get the data: decades of sensor logs from real trucks on real ore bodies, in conditions that exist almost nowhere else. A frontier model can't fake it.

"Australia can build the things that turn the AI brain into a mine that runs itself and own the data that proves it works. We can also export this. Every mining nation on earth needs this and can't build it themselves. Chile. Canada. West Africa. Australia becomes the place you buy AI that runs a mine.

"Australia can, and should, have a crack at the hardest real-world problem the intelligence gets pointed at, and own the data that proves it.

"That's not a consolation prize. It's the winning position," said Dr Anna Harrison, Founder and CEO, RAMMP.

The comments reflect a growing view in Australia's technology sector that its competitive advantage may lie in applying AI to industries such as mining, logistics and retail, rather than competing directly with large overseas model developers.

Skills challenge

Workforce readiness was another recurring theme. Executives said public policy should address how businesses and workers adapt as AI becomes part of routine decision-making.

"This announcement is a positive signal that Australia is preparing for a different future. AI is coming regardless. The government has a responsibility to approach it deliberately, thoughtfully and with enough investment in people to make the most of the opportunity.

"We don't stop technological progress because it creates disruption. We help people and businesses adapt so they can thrive in a world where AI is becoming part of everyday decision-making.

"We also need to stop talking about AI as though it's something happening to us. It's something we can actively shape. Governments have a role in setting the guardrails, businesses have a responsibility to adopt AI thoughtfully, and individuals have an opportunity to build new skills. None of those groups can do it alone, and that's why collaboration will be critical to getting this transition right," said Alison McKinnon, Managing Director, CM.OSX.

Taken together, the responses show broad support for a more defined national AI framework, but they also suggest industry will judge the strategy on execution. The key questions now are how quickly rules are set, how copyright is handled, and whether Australia can turn sector-specific strengths into commercial AI products.