The Albanese government is weighing a compromise that would give artificial intelligence companies default access to Australian creatives' work for training AI models, as it seeks to attract major datacentre investment from US tech firms. The proposal emerged after senior OpenAI personnel met with Labor ministers to press the case that Australia's copyright laws are blocking local model training, prompting sharp criticism from independent senator David Pocock, who said the plan would place the onus on Australians to opt out rather than protect rights they already hold.

A government consultation document titled "AI on Australian Terms", tabled in the Senate, outlines options including requiring rights holders to "digitally protect" material to prevent AI training, or allowing AI firms to access content once they strike deals with enough businesses or rights-holder organisations, even covering creators who are not members of those organisations. Industry minister Tim Ayres insisted no reduction in copyright protection was planned, while deputy PM Richard Marles said Australia was working with tech firms, including recent talks in San Francisco, to secure a "significant" economic opportunity on terms favourable to the national interest. Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young called the idea "abhorrent", following earlier lobbying by musicians, writers and artists after reports AI firms had offered $50bn in datacentre investment in exchange for looser copyright rules.