The Australian Labor government is introducing legislation to mandate a "Digital Duty of Care" for big tech firms, requiring safety mechanisms to be integrated into artificial intelligence systems. Announced on July 19, 2026, the policy follows the government's unveiling of broader plans to establish a new Office for AI, which will create national standards to protect national interests and security. The initiative aims to foster public confidence in AI development and deployment by proactively addressing potential harms.

Government priorities include workplace safety, which will be analyzed by the Artificial Intelligence Workplace and Employment Forum. Additionally, authorities are monitoring "retail surveillance pricing"—a technique where AI adjusts prices for individual consumers based on variables such as browsing history, location, and habits. The government is also creating a framework to govern the use of automated decision-making across federal agencies.

These efforts build upon existing regulations, including legislation that criminalized the sharing of non-consensual deepfake (synthetic media created using AI) sexually explicit material. The government is also working toward banning applications that generate non-consensual altered images of people. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (Anthony Albanese) emphasized that while AI offers significant social and economic benefits, it must be carefully harnessed to ensure safety in both work and learning environments.

The Australian Labor government is introducing legislation to mandate a "Digital Duty of Care" for big tech firms, requiring safety mechanisms to be integrated into artificial intelligence systems. Announced on July 19, 2026, the policy follows the government's unveiling of broader plans to establish a new Office for AI, which will create national standards to protect national interests and security. The initiative aims to foster public confidence in AI development and deployment by proactively addressing potential harms.

Government priorities include workplace safety, which will be analyzed by the Artificial Intelligence Workplace and Employment Forum. Additionally, authorities are monitoring "retail surveillance pricing"—a technique where AI adjusts prices for individual consumers based on variables such as browsing history, location, and habits. The government is also creating a framework to govern the use of automated decision-making across federal agencies.

These efforts build upon existing regulations, including legislation that criminalized the sharing of non-consensual deepfake (synthetic media created using AI) sexually explicit material. The government is also working toward banning applications that generate non-consensual altered images of people. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (Anthony Albanese) emphasized that while AI offers significant social and economic benefits, it must be carefully harnessed to ensure safety in both work and learning environments.