Submission to the Joint Select Committee on Artificial Intelligence

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is already changing how Australians create, distribute, discover and experience arts and culture. Government decisions now will determine whether AI strengthens Australian creativity and public participation or weakens creative livelihoods, rights and public trust.

The Australian Government should:

• make AI a core part of the next National Cultural Policy and require Cultural Ministers to review the settings regularly
• ensure Australia has fit-for-purpose copyright and intellectual property law for creative content used by AI
• fund cultural institutions and organisations to build practical AI literacy across Australia
• include creative workers and businesses in national AI workforce and small business measures.

AI is already changing how Australians create, distribute, discover and experience arts and culture. The issue is immediate: government decisions will determine who benefits, who carries the risks and whether Australians trust AI and the content it produces.

This is not a choice between innovation and protection. Instead, it is about making sure AI is human-centred, and that Australians are empowered to use it in safe and inclusive ways that build trust instead of eroding it.