Australia is moving to tighten rules around artificial intelligence this week. The government is considering a ban on smart glasses that can record video inside public service offices.
The proposal would make Australia one of the first countries to restrict this kind of wearable tech in government workplaces. Public Service Minister Katy Gallagher is leading the effort.
The announcement comes as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese travels to the United States. He is set to hold talks on international measures to reduce online harm and address the risks posed by AI.
Albanese said AI offers a major opportunity for the Australian economy and workforce. He also said the right protections need to be in place as the technology develops.
Employers and Government Push for AI Workplace Rules
On the same day, Employment Minister Amanda Rishworth is chairing a roundtable of large employers. The goal is to create national best-practice guidance for AI use in Australian workplaces.
Companies attending include Commonwealth Bank, Microsoft, AGL, Telstra and Kmart. Rishworth said workers and businesses need confidence that safeguards are in place before adopting new AI tools.
The roundtable follows a warning from big tech companies. They told the federal government that Australia needs to slow its AI rollout and build stronger security laws first.
OpenAI made a submission to an ongoing government inquiry. The company said national leaders have a duty to work together on global security risks tied to AI.
OpenAI said many of the biggest AI risks will not stop at national borders. It argued that international coordination is becoming more important as the technology spreads.
The company also said Australia is currently in a narrow window where it can use AI to find and fix cybersecurity threats. It warned this window will not stay open forever.
Tech company Atlassian, which runs its own AI system called Rovo, also made a submission. It called on the government to strengthen its AI laws using international standards already in place elsewhere.
Industry Leaders Call for Caution on AI Development
These submissions follow comments from major AI figures. OpenAI's Sam Altman and Elon Musk both backed Anthropic chief executive Dario Amodei's call to slow down AI development.
Amodei made the case in a three part essay, describing the pace of current AI development as reckless. It is rare for the three figures to agree publicly on AI policy.
Government departments are set to appear before the inquiry on Friday. They are expected to face questions about their current security measures.
Australian Signals Directorate director general Abigail Bradshaw spoke on the topic earlier this week. She said intelligence and security agencies need to build a formal early warning system for AI risks.
Bradshaw said Australia currently has this kind of system for cyber threats but not for AI specifically. She said the country's aging technology could struggle to keep up as AI systems grow more advanced.
Despite these concerns, the intelligence agency has already started using AI itself. It joins dozens of other government departments that have adopted the technology to improve efficiency.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers is set to give a preview on AI ahead of next week's 2026 Intergenerational Report. He is expected to outline what AI could mean for jobs, productivity and investment over the next four decades.
The Office of AI is also launching public consultation on new national AI standards. The consultation opens as part of Friday's broader push on AI policy in Canberra.
