Anthony Albanese's brutal message to Australian workers as he defends his government's AI response

By ZAC DE SILVA FOR AAP and ASHLEY NICKEL FOR DAILY MAIL Published: 16:01, 15 July 2026 | Updated: 16:19, 15 July 2026 The Prime Minister has warned artificial intelligence is not going away and workers will have to ride the wave of change or risk being swept away by it. Anthony Albanese used a major speech on Wednesday to outline his government's approach to the emerging technology, including electricity requirements for data centres, copyright protections for creators, and an Office of AI within his own office. Laws will be rolled out from next year, with Albanese arguing world-leading guardrails on AI's adoption were not at odds with attracting investment from the industry. Speaking on the ABC's 7.30 on Wednesday night to defend the plan, he admitted the workforce would be affected but said roles would change and adapt rather than vanish. 'Change is happening and they (workers) have an interest in shaping that change, because if not, then they don't get a say,' he told host Sarah Ferguson. He said businesses had an oppourtunity to benefit from productivity increases, but that those that did it in collaboration with employees would be be better off.  'We need to make sure that workers aren't shut out of those discussions. They have an interest in businesses being successful because the more successful businesses means better workplaces and better conditions,' he said. Earlier on Wednesday, speaking at Sydney University, Mr Albanese said the nation could make AI stand for 'Australia's Interests' in a shift away from his government's previous light-touch approach to regulation. ABC 7.30 host Sarah Ferguson quizzed the Prime Minister on his AI speech on Wednesday Albanese said workers should help shape the direction AI takes as he argued guardrails on the tech would not turn away investment He said his office would take a leading role in the rollout after months of pressure from both the tech industry and those worried about the rapid shifts in the global economy. Tech Policy Design Institute executive director Johanna Weaver said the announcement needed to be 'fast followed with hard decisions' on issues such as copyright, workforce transition and environmental impacts. 'The choices we make as a nation in the next year will determine if AI shapes us or we shape it,' she said. 'Australia needs co-ordinated, ambitious and decisive leadership on AI.' The prime minister vowed to pass legislation on mandatory standards for AI by early 2027 after a national cabinet process with state and territory leaders, although he provided few details about the proposals. Getting the framework right would enable faster approvals and make Australia a more attractive destination for international investors, Mr Albanese said. 'It is not our goal to try and legislate for every possible eventuality or risk,' he said. 'That only creates the risk of Australia missing out on investment altogether.' A growing number of data centres being built in their neighbourhoods, with more than 160 operating and many on the way (pictured, the data centre on Indwe Street at West Footscray) But green groups accused Labor of 'kicking the can down the road', calling for a moratorium on data centre approvals until binding rules around energy and water use were in place. 'The prime minister is rolling out the red carpet for these water-guzzling energy vampires, with no plans to regulate them until at least 2027 - that is a betrayal of Australian communities and our national interest,' Greenpeace Australia's Joe Rafalowicz said. Expectations for large AI data centres, released by the government in March, would be strengthened with legislation requiring developers to underwrite power supply for the energy-hungry facilities. It would ensure that no costs were passed onto households or businesses and at least as much energy was put back into the grid as was taken out. Digital Rights Watch chair Lizzie O'Shea said any deals done with big tech companies or relating to data centres should not be behind closed doors. 'We need sustainable, discerning take-up of frontier technologies,' she said. 'There is a real opportunity for the government to consult openly with communities and work collaboratively to ensure we have the right infrastructure for the 21st century.' Australia could not press pause on AI, rather the nation should be 'embracing change and shaping it', Mr Albanese said. 'Not just adopting or accommodating AI; designing it, making it, building the capability right here, and building our sovereignty and our economic resilience as a result,' he said. AI giant Anthropic, which has lobbied the government to provide clarity on copyright laws in exchange for a $21.6 billion investment in Australia, said  societal-level solutions were needed for the technology. 'We respect the process articulated by the prime minister today for establishing Australia's AI framework and take seriously Anthropic's responsibility to meet the terms set out by the Australian government for AI developers,' a company spokesman said. But Mr Albanese pushed back on calls to water down copyright laws to benefit AI firms. 'No company should use Australian books, music, art, or news to build or train AI without the artist's control, and that includes the artist's control of the price and value of their work,' he said. Opposition Leader Angus Taylor said the plan to create an AI office would just make more bureaucracy and the nation needed to ensure it had access to the best AI for cyber defence.