Australia: Attorney-General announced consultation on updates to Copyright Laws to address AI challenges and rejection of establishing a text and data mining exception

On 26 October 2025, the Attorney-General announced that the Government is consulting on potential updates to Australia’s copyright laws to address challenges arising from artificial intelligence (AI). The Government confirmed it will not introduce a text and data mining exception, which would have allowed AI developers to use creators’ works without payment. The Copyright and AI Reference Group will discuss options to encourage fair and legal access to copyright material for AI use, assess whether a new paid collective licensing framework should be created, and consider clarifying how copyright applies to AI-generated content. It will also explore ways to make enforcement of rights more affordable, such as establishing a small claims forum.