AI firms urge Australia to slow adoption and tighten security laws

Artificial intelligence companies have urged the Australian government to slow AI adoption and strengthen security laws, warning of a narrow window to address global cybersecurity threats. OpenAI emphasized the need for international coordination, stating many consequential risks cross national borders. OpenAI's submission to a federal inquiry said Australia could use AI to find and fix cyber threats rather than create them. Atlassian, which runs AI system Rovo, called for bolstered laws and international standards to protect consumers, arguing tighter privacy rules would boost trust and benefit the tech sector. The warnings follow calls from OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Elon Musk, and Anthropic's Dario Amodei for a slowdown in "reckless" AI development. Australian intelligence chief Abigail Bradshaw said an early warning system for AI risks is missing, while government departments, including the signals directorate, have begun using AI for efficiency.