The new Office of AI will bring together the government’s work on issues such as education, the labor market, climate and energy, copyright and defense.Image: Imago
Australia wants to control the expansion of artificial intelligence (AI) more closely in the future. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced the establishment of a central AI office in the Ministry of the Prime Minister and Cabinet as well as mandatory data center standards across the country.
July 15, 2026, 12:39 p.mJuly 15, 2026, 12:39 p.m
The new Office of AI will bring together the government’s work on issues such as education, the labor market, climate and energy, copyright and defense. Albanese described AI as key to Australia’s productivity, economic resilience and technological sovereignty in a keynote address at the University of Sydney.
Strict rules for AI data centers
The Prime Minister wants to seek approval from states and territories for the planned standards for data centers at a meeting of the National Cabinet next month. A corresponding law is due to be introduced into parliament at the beginning of next year. According to Australian media, Australia is the first country in the world to legally enshrine a national regulatory framework for AI.
According to the plans, large AI data centers must, among other things, keep their water consumption as low as possible and cover the costs of connecting to the power grid. In addition, operators should feed at least as much energy into the network as their systems consume.
Australia also wants to strengthen copyright protection
Albanese made a clear statement about copyright. “Australian writers, musicians, artists and journalists must retain ownership and control of their work,” he said. “Our laws will clearly state this.”
No company should use Australian books, music, art or news to develop or train AI systems “without artists having control over them – including control over the price and value of their works,” Albanese added. “Everything else is theft.” (sda/dpa)