The PM has pledged to protect artists’ copyright. But without action on AI theft it is all hot air

Australia's Prime Minister has vowed strong copyright protections for creators against AI companies, but observers say it's all talk without concrete action. Anthony Albanese pledged that no firm should train AI systems on Australian books, music, or journalism without the creator's consent and compensation. The problem, per The Conversation (Australia), is he stopped short of specifying how his government would enforce it. Australia could amend copyright law to require payment for AI training—similar to how textbook usage is compensated—or launch lawsuits like those now underway in the US against Google. The country already has a Copyright Agency managing such payments, but no AI company has ever paid through it. The imbalance is glaring: data centers are getting fast-tracked approvals while artists remain exposed.

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