NSW government ‘absolutely thrilled’ to welcome OpenAI ... until someone mentioned the Terminator films

OpenAI has partnered with datacentre operator NextDC to build a multibillion dollar computing cluster in Sydney. The NSW environment minister, Penny Sharpe, says the city is ‘a highly desirable location’. Photograph: Hollie Adams/Reuters

The NSW technology minister’s office removed a reference to being “absolutely thrilled” about OpenAI opening a Sydney office after staffers joked a dystopian Skynet could be headed for the city within five years.

Artificial intelligence giant OpenAI announced its first Australian office in August last year, before opening in December.