Expectations were high as the prime minister took the stage at the University of Sydney on Wednesday to outline a pivot in his government’s approach to artificial intelligence. The vibes of the speech seem to have lived up to the hype but it fell short on policy detail.

Before the address there were concerns about the government’s hands-off approach to AI regulation. So Anthony Albanese’s commitment to introducing laws that ensure Australian creatives retain control over their work – including its value and where it is used – are very welcome.

Clearly the government heard creatives loud and clear. Their work and intellectual property must not be used as a bargaining chip. This is an encouraging sign that the government is staring down intense pressure from global AI giants to give them unfettered – and unpaid-for – access to the works of Australian musicians, writers, journalists and artists.

But as is often the case in politics, the devil is in the detail. While the sentiment is good, we need to see the policy and legislation that will underpin it. There are cabinet documents that tell a different story to the speech – one where the prime minister was set to sponsor a submission exploring “legal avenues” to give AI companies access to Australians’ work in return for massive datacentre investment.

New laws have now been flagged that,........

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