Australian senator urges AI safeguards for artists and the environment

Liberal senator Andrew McLachlan has urged the Australian government to protect artists’ copyright and consider environmental costs as it develops policies to attract AI investment. He says creative work should not be sacrificed for corporate profits, and warns that weakening copyright protections could raise constitutional questions about the acquisition of property.

The debate includes proposals for AI companies to use copyrighted material, including Anthropic’s opt-out model, which would let it scrape material unless rights holders object. McLachlan argues compensation should be considered for each artist, while warning that datacentres could increase emissions and household power costs. Labor and the Coalition broadly support attracting AI investment, though some politicians have called for stronger protections and a multipartisan approach.