Source: Australian Financial Review

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced the establishment of a new Office of AI within his department and introduced legislated Australian AI standards that require large-scale data centres to produce as much electricity as they consume. This represents a shift from Labor’s previous hands-off regulatory stance towards a more interventionist approach. The details were disclosed in a speech at the University of Sydney.

Business and technology leaders have welcomed the government’s ambition to position Australia as a global AI leader but cautioned that potential flaws in policy implementation might affect the level of foreign investment needed. The new AI standards include mandatory energy generation responsibilities for data centre operators, marking a significant regulatory development in the sector.