OpenAI Defies Tech Council, Vows Australian AI Investment Despite Copyright Concerns
OpenAI has signaled its commitment to establishing a significant presence in Australia, regardless of ongoing debates surrounding copyright law and its impact on artificial intelligence development. The company’s chief global affairs officer asserted this position during a keynote address, directly challenging the stance of the Tech Council of Australia.
OpenAI is determined to invest in Australia, even amidst concerns over copyright restrictions impacting AI development. Chris Lehane, speaking at SXSW Sydney on Friday, stated unequivocally, “No… we are going to be in Australia, one way or the other.”
The declaration comes as Australia’s Productivity Commission examines potential exemptions to copyright rules that currently limit the ability of technology firms to utilize text and data for AI model training. Scott Farquhar, CEO of the Tech Council and co-founder of Atlassian, has previously argued that existing Australian copyright law actively “hurts a lot of investment” in the nation’s AI sector.
Lehane outlined two primary approaches countries are taking regarding copyright restrictions and AI. One path mirrors the US “fair use” doctrine, fostering the development of advanced, large-scale frontier AI. The alternative involves maintaining stricter copyright protections, potentially limiting the scope of AI innovation.
“We will engage in either country – we will find ways to work with those who want to build up big frontier models and have robust ecosystems, or those who just want to have much more narrowly defined AI,” Lehane explained. “We will work with them under either scenario, regardless.”
The company’s approach to copyright was further highlighted when questioned about the rollout of Sora 2, OpenAI’s new video-generating model, prior to fully resolving copyright concerns. Lehane maintained that the technology ultimately benefits “everyone,” framing innovation as a process of societal adaptation. “This is the nature of how technology works. Innovations come along, and then societies adapt to those innovations,” he said, adding that OpenAI, as a non-profit, aims to “build AI that benefits everyone.”
However, OpenAI demonstrated a sensitivity to copyright concerns on Friday, suspending the generation of videos featuring the likeness of Martin Luther King Jr. following objections from his family.
Beyond domestic policy, Lehane addressed the broader geopolitical landscape of AI, characterizing the relationship between the US and China as a “very real competition” to shape the future of the technology. He asserted that US-led AI models will be “inherently built on democratic values,” while those originating from China will “probably” be built on autocratic norms. “One of the two will end up being the player that the rest of the world builds on,” he predicted.
Addressing concerns about the future of American democracy, Lehane acknowledged its inherent complexities but expressed confidence in the US system. “Democracy… tends to be a very messy process – but the US has demonstrated over time that it gets this stuff right.”
Lehane emphasized the substantial energy infrastructure required to maintain a “democratic lead” in AI, stating that the US and its allies, including Australia, will need to generate a “gigawatt of energy on a weekly basis.” He also highlighted Australia’s unique advantages in the AI space, citing its high AI user base, 30,000 developers, “a tonne of talent,” a growing renewable energy sector, strong fiber optic connections with Asia, and its status as a member of the Five Eyes intelligence alliance.
Australia, according to Lehane, “occupies a really unique position” and possesses the potential to develop its own frontier AI capabilities.
