PM spruiks social ban, airs AI risks with ex-Apple head

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese emphasized the need to address the risks associated with artificial intelligence (AI) during a meeting with former Apple CEO Tim Cook and other executives at Apple's headquarters in California. The one-hour closed-door session followed a phone call between the two in June, after Apple introduced child safety features inspired by Australia's social media ban for under-16s.

The discussions also addressed international rules for AI use, with Albanese joining other middle powers at the United Nations in calling for more regulations in the sector. While Australia should not fall behind in the global AI race, safety features should be prioritized, Albanese stated. He acknowledged the risks of AI and the need for a global framework to guide its development, emphasizing the importance of maintaining human control over the technology.

Aligned with Australia's social media restrictions for young users, Albanese mentioned plans to require data centers to be powered by renewable energy. The push at the UN also coincides with calls from OpenAI's Sam Altman and Anthropic's Dario Amodei for a temporary slowdown in AI development. Despite US President Trump's rejection of additional guardrails, Albanese assured that writers and creative artists would retain ownership of their work under upcoming changes to copyright laws.

However, he left the door open for an opt-out model that would allow creators to exclude their work from use in AI training or other purposes. The Australian government aims to maintain its appeal to AI developers by preserving its status as an attractive destination, according to Albanese. During the meeting, Albanese received a demonstration of Apple's safety features, such as additional parental controls and app usage limits.

He highlighted Apple's recognition of Australia's pioneering role in online safety, describing it as a proud moment for the nation. Albanese also discussed further social media reforms with Cook, including allowing users to opt out of algorithmic feeds.