Australia rules out broad AI text-mining exception as music groups object

The Australian government says it is consulting on possible copyright-law updates and will not introduce a Text and Data Mining Exception.[2] It says some technology-sector participants had called for a broad exception, which would let AI developers use Australian creators’ work for training without payment or permission.[2] The government says it stands behind Australia’s creative industries and that ruling out the exception would provide certainty to Australian creators.[2] Its stated aim is to protect and support creators while enabling new uses of copyright material.[2]

The government said it would convene its Copyright and AI Reference Group over the next two days to discuss three priority areas.[2] One priority is encouraging fair and legal ways to use copyrighted material in AI.[2] The government will examine whether to establish paid collective licensing for AI or retain voluntary licensing.[2] For teams planning to use copyrighted material in AI work, this makes the licensing model an important policy question to track; the evidence does not establish which approach the government will ultimately choose.

Global music publishers accused the Albanese government of drafting an AI copyright policy that would “legitimise larceny.”[1] The Financial Review reported that Sony, Universal and Warner Chappell criticized Labor’s plan and that global music giants warned it could create a “honeypot” for big tech.[3] The report also said the labels warned the plan could harm artists around the world by putting a ceiling on the value of their work.[3] ARIA said Australia was being used to “sell out the world’s creators.”[4]

An ABC report said AI companies would be allowed to train on online content without paying creators if they struck deals with enough rights holders.[5] That reported condition is distinct from the government’s stated decision not to introduce a broad Text and Data Mining Exception.[2] The material available here does not specify how the condition and the government’s licensing review would interact. A news item on the issue was dated October 6, 2026.[4]