Australia: Productivity Commission opened consultation on interim report harnessing data and digital technology including proposal for fair dealing exception for text and data mining for AI training

On 5 August 2025, the Productivity Commission (PC) opened a consultation on its interim report, Harnessing Data and Digital Technology, until 15 September 2025. The consultation is part of the Government’s five-pillar productivity growth agenda under the Productivity Commission Act 1998 and focuses on reforms to improve productivity through digital and data use. The interim report presents draft recommendations in four areas. These include enabling artificial intelligence (AI) productivity potential through outcomes-based regulation, creating new regulatory pathways to expand data access for individuals and businesses, introducing an alternative compliance option under the Privacy Act to support outcomes-based privacy protection, and mandating digital financial reporting through amendments to the Corporations Act. The report also calls for consultation on reforms to ensure Australia’s copyright regime supports AI development, including a proposal to introduce a fair dealing exception for text and data mining for AI training. The consultation aims to gather information on these proposals to inform the final report, which will be delivered to the Government within 12 months of the Treasurer’s request.