Pocock says Labor easing copyright protections for AI datacentre investment would throw creatives ‘under the bus’

Independent Senator David Pocock warned that easing copyright protections for artificial intelligence would "throw protections for creatives and copyright holders under the bus" in pursuit of datacentre funding. Pocock argued that the government's proposals would grant AI companies access to all Australian content, unless they specifically opt out.

The proposals, revealed as senior personnel from OpenAI met with Labor ministers, suggest that rights holders would need to digitally protect their material if they do not wish AI models to be trained on it. However, rights holders claim this is not feasible. The government has claimed the forthcoming AI rules will not reduce copyright protection, with Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles stating that collaboration with American tech giants is a "significant moment for the country."

The Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young called the copyright compromise suggestions "abhorrent," stating that every Australian deserves to be paid for their work.