Proposal to allow use of Australian copyrighted material to train AI abandoned after backlash

Productivity Commission had previously argued that using local content would assist in the development of Australia-specific AI models that would deliver benefits for the economy. Photograph: Olivier Morin/AFP/Getty Images

The Productivity Commission has abandoned a proposal to allow tech companies to mine copyrighted material to train artificial intelligence models, after a fierce backlash from the creative industries.

Instead, the government’s top economic advisory body recommended the government wait three years before deciding whether to establish an independent review of Australian copyright settings and the impact of the disruptive new technology.