Controversial Creative Australia chairman retires early
Robert Morgan, an advertising and marketing executive, joined Creative Australia's board as chairman in July 2021 on a term due to expire in August 2026, but has now been replaced by his deputy, former Sydney Festival director Wesley Enoch.
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The Australian
05-08-2025
- The Australian
Tech giants could gain access to Aussie content under new proposal
Big tech companies would gain access to a vast library of copyrighted Australian content to further fuel their AI capabilities under recommendations put forward by the Productivity Commission, with the controversial scenario likely to leave the nation's news media outlets and creative professionals without compensation for their work. In an interim report on 'unlocking the benefits of AI and data to spark growth', released on Tuesday night, the commission called for feedback on what reforms were needed to bring the copyright regime up to date, amid its concerns that the laws were outdated and ill-equipped to deal with the rise of artificial intelligence technology. Possible overhaul of the laws is expected to prompt a fierce backlash from industry leaders, many of whom have previously aired concerns that big tech routinely sourced content it did not own as a means to further its products, without compensating the owners of the copyright. In a submission to the report, arts advisory body Creative Australia expressed concern about the unauthorised use of copyrighted materials to train AI models. 'Much of the data has been used reportedly without consent from the original creator, and without acknowledgment or remuneration,' the submission says. 'The global nature of the technology industry has made it difficult for the owners of creative work to enforce their intellectual property rights and be remunerated for the use of their work.' Last week, KPMG chairman Martin Sheppard and chief executive Andrew Yates warned the Albanese government that distrust of AI was 'not without basis'. Two days later, the Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance called for greater government intervention on AI, with a new survey revealing high level of concern in the media, creative, and entertainment sectors regarding the technology. As part of the wider recommendations in the interim report, the commission finds that while the full effects of AI on productivity are still uncertain, AI 'will likely add more than $116bn to Australian economic activity over the next decade'. 'It recommends an approach to regulation that limits the risks that AI presents without stifling its growth potential,' it says. In a recommendation set to anger the news media and creative industries, the report's summary reads: 'The government should check for gaps in current regulation exposed by AI and, where possible, amend that same regulation to fill them. AI-specific regulation should only be considered as a last resort.' The report recommends exploration of 'whether current Australian copyright law is a barrier to building and training AI models'. The report acknowledges that 'copyright violation is an example of a harm that AI could exacerbate by changing economic incentives', but suggests tweaks to the laws that would grant exemptions – under the guise of 'research or study' – to big tech companies wanting to improve the data libraries of their AI models. 'There are concerns that the Australian copyright regime is not keeping pace with the rise of AI technology – whether because it does not adequately facilitate the use of copyrighted works or because AI developers can too easily sidestep existing licensing and enforcement mechanisms,' the report says. One of the policy options suggested is to amend the Copyright Act to include a fair-dealing exception that would cover 'text and data mining' – a move that would potentially grant technology companies wider access to the works and content produced by Australian journalists, artists, authors, and musicians, to name a few. AI specific regulation is rare globally, although last week the developers of leading AI models such as OpenAI, Google and Microsoft agreed to abide by rules on transparency, copyright and safety across Europe. The commission flags several options, including: 'no policy change', under which copyright owners would continue to enforce their rights under the existing framework, including through the courts; introducing measures to facilitate licensing of copyrighted materials, such as through collecting societies; or amendments to the Copyright Act to include the fair dealing exception. While text and data mining – methods that use automation to analyse large volumes of text and data to identify patterns – is considered 'fair use' in relation to copyright use in some overseas jurisdictions, it is seen as a flawed model that can leave legitimate copyright holders short-changed. 'It should also be noted that a TDM exception would not be a 'blank cheque' for all copyrighted materials to be used as inputs into all AI models,' the commission says. 'The use must also be considered 'fair' …' The commission warns against introduction of too many onerous legislative requirements on big tech's AI advancements. 'It is the PC's view that the copyright issues posed by AI can also similarly be resolved through adapting existing copyright law frameworks rather than introducing AI-specific regulation,' it says. James Madden has worked for The Australian for over 20 years. As a reporter, he covered courts, crime and politics in Sydney and Melbourne. James was previously Sydney chief of staff, deputy national chief of staff and national chief of staff, and was appointed media editor in 2021. Economics New regulation risks $116bn in economic gains at risk, Productivity Commission warns Jim Chalmers. Politics Treasurer's marathon consultation with Australia's business elite faces being relegated to a talkfest as government backs away from major economic reforms.
7NEWS
25-06-2025
- 7NEWS
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and fiancee Lauren Sanchez move wedding amid Venice backlash
A celebrity wedding party for Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and journalist Lauren Sanchez in Venice this week has been moved to an isolated, less accessible part of the lagoon city on security concerns and to prevent the risk of protests, sources say. The billionaire tech-tycoon and his fiancee had earmarked a location in Cannaregio to celebrate after their wedding, a popular and central nightlife area, but fears of demonstrations led to a change of plan, the sources added. For weeks some local residents and pressure groups have been complaining that the event will turn the scenic city of gondolas and palazzi into a private amusement park for the rich and threatened peaceful blockades. After the wedding ceremony, whose location and exact date remain secret, although it is expected to be between Thursday and Saturday, about 200-250 VIP guests from show business, politics and finance will now head to a hall of the Arsenale, a vast 14th-century complex in the eastern Castello district. Surrounded by water and impossible to reach by land when connecting bridges are raised, the hall is considered a safer venue than Cannaregio's Scuola Grande della Misericordia, a medieval former religious school. Originally a giant shipyard serving the Venetian Republic's maritime empire, the Arsenale has been restored and converted into an exhibition space for the Venice Biennale art fair. Bezos, 61, executive chair of e-commerce giant Amazon and No.4 on Forbes' billionaires list, got engaged to Sanchez, 55, in 2023, four years after the collapse of his 25-year marriage to Mackenzie Scott. The couple's decision to marry in Venice follows other celebrity weddings in the floating city, such as that of US actor George Clooney and human rights lawyer Amal Alamuddin in 2014. 'The news that Bezos has run away from the Misericordia is a great victory for us,' said Tommaso Cacciari, a leader of the 'No Space for Bezos' campaign that is leading the anti-wedding front. The group has announced more protests for Saturday on Venice's canals, bridges and narrow streets, pledging to make the event a 'nightmare' for Bezos and his guests. Luca Zaia, president of the Veneto region that comprises the city, criticised the protests, saying the 90 private jets carrying guests to nearby airports would bring revenue of up to 48 million euros ($85.46 million) to local businesses. US President Donald Trump 's daughter Ivanka and son-in-law Jared Kushner, who have been holidaying in Tuscany, visited the factory of luxury sports car maker Ferrari on their way to the Venice wedding, a source familiar with their movements said.
AU Financial Review
23-05-2025
- AU Financial Review
Controversial Creative Australia chairman retires early
The chairman of federal arts funding body Creative Australia has retired before the expiry of his first five-year term, in a move the government says was unrelated to his role in the Venice Biennale fiasco. Robert Morgan, an advertising and marketing executive, joined Creative Australia's board as chairman in July 2021 on a term due to expire in August 2026, but has now been replaced by his deputy, former Sydney Festival director Wesley Enoch.
