Productivity and economic opportunity
The Prime Minister emphasised the importance of creating a new generation of “good, secure jobs for our economy.”
“Our great country… can lead in everything from cyber security and biotechnology to advanced manufacturing, and this is why we want Australia to have more of a stake in where AI is made and how it is made.
“We want great universities like this one leading the way, and we want more Australian companies and global firms developing AI here to boost our sovereign capability, to strengthen our national security and build our economic resilience.”
The Prime Minister was also clear: “Not everything produced in Australia is up for grabs.”
“Australian writers, musicians, artists and journalists must retain ownership and control of their work. Our laws will spell that out, plain as day. An artist’s creative endeavour is their work and their property.”
“Our Australian standards will also set clear rules for large data centres: where they are built – and the power and water they use… We know that companies will need to invest in skills and training to be successful. And we know they will need energy too. We will create a legal obligation for the next generation of large-scale data centres to underwrite new power supply.”
Fairness, trust and social licence
Economic gains must not come at the expense of social cohesion or public trust, the Prime Minister stated.
“We can bring our enduring values of fairness and opportunity to this task to ensure that AI earns its social licence; driving growth without undercutting conditions, fragmenting our society or damaging our environment.”
“This is about building Australians’ confidence and trust in AI and our nation’s capacity to manage it, ensuring that our national interests and our national security are protected and providing the certainty for growth, for jobs and for investment.”
Addressing the risks of AI
The Prime Minister also addressed the risks AI could present.
“This year’s National Defence Strategy identified AI and machine learning as holding ‘the most significant potential for technological disruption’ in the years ahead,” Prime Minister Albanese said.
“We know that both extremists and state actors already use AI to create propaganda aimed at young people – and to spread disinformation that targets democracies. The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs are working closely with their agencies – and our Five Eyes Partners – on these matters of national security.”
“If we move with purpose now, if we back ourselves, if we trust in our values and invest in our people, if we set our national standards high, then I have every confidence that Australia can seize this moment and make it our own,” the Prime Minister concluded.