The Pulse
Top AI executives meet ministers as leaked copyright reforms spark backlash
Senior executives from Anthropic and OpenAI met Australian federal ministers as leaked copyright proposals triggered criticism from creators and politicians.
AI.info Team ·
Senior executives from Anthropic and OpenAI met with Australian federal ministers earlier this week as proposals to change copyright rules for artificial intelligence leaked into public view, prompting criticism from creators and politicians.
The Albanese government is weighing options intended to address concerns from AI companies about Australia’s copyright regime while giving creators control and fair payment for the use of their work.
Anthropic’s special international envoy, Jeffrey Bleich, and OpenAI’s vice-president of global policy, Ann O’Leary, met with senior ministers amid the companies’ push to expand their presence in Australia. AI companies have said Australia’s copyright rules are a sticking point for investment because they fear using copyrighted material to train their models may breach the law.
Leaked proposals would change the permission system
ABC News reported that one option would allow AI companies to train their models after striking deals with a minimum number of rights holders, without paying other creators whose work they used.
A second option would require companies to pay a new central body that would distribute money to rights holders, or to separate organisations representing groups of creators such as the music or writing industries.
Both options would give creators the right to opt out. That would reverse the existing position in which companies are expected to seek permission to use copyrighted material. The proposals would also include other protections and requirements for the use of copyrighted work.
The government has not announced a final policy. A spokesperson for Attorney-General Michelle Rowland told ABC News that the government was consulting creators, media organisations and AI companies about options intended to give creators control and fair payment.
Creators criticise the proposed approach
Musician Holly Rankin, who performs as Jack River, criticised the proposals for shifting responsibility for protecting copyright onto individual creators. She questioned why attracting investment should require concessions from creators.
Advocacy group Save Our Arts called on the government to reject a change that would make AI training opt-out rather than opt-in.
“The starting point should be simple: if somebody wants to commercially exploit an Australian creator's work, they should seek permission from the person who owns the rights,”
David Latham, campaign director of Save Our Arts
The Coalition accused the government of departing from assurances given to creators, while also saying Australia should attract leading technology companies. In a joint statement, shadow attorney-general Michaelia Cash and communications spokeswoman Sarah Henderson called for the government to release the full consultation material and rule out allowing AI training on copyright material without consent.
Cash said AI companies should negotiate deals with rights holders under existing copyright law rather than benefit from a change to the rules.
Greens arts spokeswoman Sarah Hanson-Young said the government should protect creators’ ability to decide how their work was used and receive payment for it. She said AI companies should pay for Australian content “just like everyone else.”
OpenAI links copyright policy to expansion plans
OpenAI confirmed it was participating in the consultations and said it was committed to working constructively with the government, creators and industry.
In a submission to the government’s AI inquiry released on September 16, OpenAI said Australia’s copyright settings were a factor in its plans to grow its Australian presence.
“Copyright policy is part of that investment environment,” the company said.
The consultations come after the government ruled out a broad exemption for AI companies to train their models on copyrighted material in Australia late last year. The leaked proposals have renewed debate over whether Australia should retain a permission-first system or allow broader use of copyrighted material under licensing arrangements.
For now, the options remain under consideration. The government has not confirmed that either proposal will become law.