Yesterday, on 15 July 2026, the Australian Prime Minister announced Australia will adopt a national framework for AI regulation, investment and infrastructure, and effective immediately, the establishment of The Office of AI within the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet.
This announcement provides the clearest indication to date of Australia’s policy on AI. At this early stage, we understand the new regulatory framework will impact intellectual property rights holders, businesses adopting, developing or commercialising AI, and investors seeking to establish AI infrastructure in Australia.
Australian Standards for AI
Central to the announcement is the proposed creation of the Australian Standards for AI, which will consolidate existing expectations (including those announced in March 2026 specifically in relation to data centres) into a single, clear, consistent and mandatory regulatory framework. The introduction of this AI standards legislation to Parliament is expected to take place in early 2027.
Copyright and AI training data
Of particular interest to intellectual property owners, creators, publishers, and AI developers is the use of Australian content for AI training. The Prime Minster foreshadowed the new Australian standards will expressly protect creators and rights holders from the unauthorised use of their copyrighted works to build or train AI. This is welcomed news for Australian writers, musicians, artists and journalists.
While the announcement did not set out any precise details, it is a strong indication that Australia may seek to develop a somewhat novel framework that provides greater control to copyright owners over AI training activities than currently exists in some overseas jurisdictions – further reinforcing Australia’s strong copyright laws.
For rights holders, media organisations and creative industries, this will be an area to watch closely. For AI developers and deployers, questions around training data provenance, licensing arrangements, contractual rights, copyright risk allocation and transparency are likely to become increasingly important.
Telecommunications, infrastructure and data centres
Another notable aspect of the announcement was the recognition that the use and investment in AI extends to environment and resource related issues, with the Prime Minister emphasising that AI requires a substantial physical footprint, including land, energy, water and computing infrastructure. Of note, the standards will look to ensure that data centres are ‘net generators’ not ‘net users’ of energy.
The proposed framework would establish national rules relating to location, the use of Australian resources and infrastructure approval processes. For investors, infrastructure operators, telecommunications providers and technology companies considering Australian expansion, the proposed standards may bring about greater clarity but may also require increased compliance expectations and approvals pathways.
Implications for employers and workplaces
Finally, another key theme was the growing role of AI in Australian workplaces, which the proposed national framework seeks to ensure is utilised appropriately.
We can’t know just yet what this will look like in practice. However, there are an increasing number of employment, workplace safety and privacy issues which present themselves at the intersection of AI technology in the workplace, including employee monitoring and surveillance, workplace AI governance and acceptable use policies, and worker consultation obligations.
Looking ahead
This announcement signals a clear intention to move to a formal AI regulatory framework. While many questions remain unanswered at this stage, it is clear AI use, development and investment in Australia will become an increasing and multidisciplinary regulatory issue.
We expect further detail to emerge as consultation progresses and draft legislation is developed. Please reach out to our Digital & Intellectual Property team for expertise in navigating the evolving AI, copyright, privacy, data and telecommunications landscape.
We also work closely with colleagues across all other teams and experts, including Employment Relations & Safety, Resources & Renewables, Corporate, Construction and Planning & Environment to provide coordinated guidance on the full spectrum of AI-related and any foreign investment issues.
Watch this space for further updates as Australia’s proposed AI framework takes shape.