Quick Facts
Michelle Rowland announced that the Australian government will not introduce a carve-out for A.I. model training in the forthcoming copyright amendment bill.
She flagged that a new payment regime is being developed to ensure creators receive fair compensation when their works are used in A.I. training.
The decision responds to intense lobbying by authors and media groups who opposed a proposal to allow unfettered use of creative content by tech firms.
Rowland stated that the government will continue to allow A.I. firms to access publicly available works under existing “fair use”-type provisions rather than creating a separate exception.
She indicated that the new payment scheme will draw on revenue from large technology platforms to support Australian creators and rights-holders.
The proposed legislation is expected to be introduced to Parliament in 2026, which aligns with Australia’s wider reforms to digital regulation and media law.
Momentum Tracker
🔺 The decision strengthens rights-holder bargaining power and signals heightened regulatory scrutiny of A.I.-training practices.
🔻 A tailored payment regime raises operational costs for A.I. firms and adds complexity to data-governance for developers and platforms.