Key Facts

• Australia is considering AI-related reforms that may include changes to copyright law.
• Some AI companies have sought weaker copyright rules to use Australian material to train their systems.
• Anthropic has proposed an opt-out approach, under which content could be used unless rights holders take steps to block it.
• Nationals senator Ross Cadell said such a model could raise a question under the Constitution’s requirement for property acquisitions to occur on just terms.
• University of Sydney legal expert Anne Twomey said the issue is complex and that a change reducing copyright holders’ rights could potentially raise constitutional concerns.
• Twomey said global rights holders might have grounds to take legal action in Australia if rules allowed AI training on international data.
• The attorney general’s department said it was closely aware of the issue, while the government pledged meaningful control and fair compensation for creatives.
• The government has not released a legislative proposal, and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has said creatives should be protected and paid for their work.