Getting to know the AI beat, one thing has come up with ordinary people, industry, politicians, academics, activists: Most Australians do not trust AI or the people behind it. It's a big issue for an industry that needs people to adopt its products and share their resources.
Australia can avoid an US-style backlash against AI if it acts now to keep Australians safe from the harms of the new technology, Assistant Minister Andrew Charlton said as he announced that the government's AI Safety Institute is now up and running.
AFR's Street Talk column got their hands on Anthropic's computing demand tender to Australian data centre companies: 1.4 gigawatts of capacity, with 1 gigawatt by the end of 2027. That's more than capacity of the entire Australia's data centre industry in 2025.
Interesting insight into One Nation's views on AI and data centres: NSW senator Sean Bell says he's concerned that Australia may become dependant on Chinese data centres if we don't build them here, but also says the public is worried about data centres and renewable energy being built near them.
Attorney-General Michelle Rowland rules out explicitly trading copyright reform for Australian access to AI models "This notion that access to mythos depends on Australia weakening its current copyright regime is a false one, and will not be entertained by the government.”
Australia has welcomed a call from Anthropic to plan to slow down or even freeze AI development if the technology starts getting out of control. Assistant Minister Andrew Charlton says "the pace of progress must not outstrip understanding or undermine safety across society"
AI scam Onlyfans slop has hit the AFL…
Telstra's chief expects the telco will have a smaller workforce by end of the decade because of the influence of AI
Australian-founded data centre company IREN has signed a deal to be the NBA team Golden State Warrior's offical "AI cloud partner" and will have a logo on their jersey. Do with that what you will.
