Independent Senator David Pocock has criticised Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's artificial intelligence blueprint, warning it lacks detail on key issues such as sovereign capability, workforce retraining, and tax. While the prime minister's speech at the University of Sydney on Wednesday was high on 'vibes,' it fell short on policy specifics, according to Pocock.
Albanese's AI Vision: Promises and Gaps
Albanese committed to introducing laws to ensure Australian creatives retain control over their work, including its value and usage. Pocock welcomed this, saying the government clearly heard creatives' concerns about intellectual property being used as a bargaining chip by global AI giants. However, he noted that cabinet documents suggest the prime minister was set to explore 'legal avenues' to give AI companies access to Australians' work in return for massive datacentre investment.
New laws have been flagged to address water and energy use concerns, moving beyond voluntary 'expectations.' Albanese also promised that households and businesses would not face higher prices due to datacentre energy use. But Pocock raised questions about the definition of 'next generation of large-scale datacentres,' how 'large' will be defined, and when national standards will apply. He noted there are at least 100 datacentres under construction, with many more planned.
Sovereign Capability and Retraining
Pocock highlighted a glaring omission: the lack of a plan to build Australian sovereign AI capability. 'Where is the plan to ensure local companies and researchers have access to the vast new computing power to be housed on our shores?' he asked. This is critical for sharing long-term benefits, he argued.
On workforce retraining, Pocock pointed out that Singapore is investing $1bn annually in retraining workers for AI-resilient careers. 'Where is that kind of funding commitment for Australians?' he asked, warning that AI adoption and job displacement could outpace preparedness.
Datacentre Construction and Housing
Pocock also flagged the construction workforce shortage, noting that datacentre construction is diverting workers from building new homes. 'We can't afford to see housing completions continue to decline,' he said, citing warnings from residential developers about worker shortages.
He called for careful planning and genuine consultation on datacentre locations, noting that information on existing and proposed sites is hard to come by. Erin Brockovich's work in mapping US datacentres suggests some information is deliberately concealed, Pocock said.
Tax and Long-Term Benefits
The largest hole in the prime minister's speech, according to Pocock, was any mention of tax. 'Not a word about how we will ensure we capture the long-term financial benefits from becoming a global datacentre destination,' he said. Pocock warned against repeating the mistakes of the resources boom, where multinational gas companies minimised tax and offshored profits. 'When it comes to big tech companies, it's clearly a case of 'hold my beer',' he added.
Pocock concluded that while Albanese articulated an ambitious vision, it is unclear how he plans to achieve those aims. 'There are many parts of the AI story he did not address. It's our job, as parliamentarians and citizens, to keep demanding answers to those questions.'
