Anthony Albanese has vowed to “always stand up for Australia’s national interests” while rejecting scathing US criticisms of his digital safety agenda.
US President Donald Trump overnight attacked an international push to keep artificial intelligence under “human control” as a “globalist scheme”, telling world leaders at the UN he would not hamper the technology’s development despite mounting fears it could become too powerful.
“The United States totally rejects any attempt to construct a globalist scheme of control for the artificial intelligence being spoken of so much now – hereinafter officially called ‘super intelligence,’” Mr Trump said.
It came as the US Embassy in Canberra lashed out at the Albanese government’s proposed digital duty of care, which would threaten hefty fines for technology firms that fail to protect Australians.
Speaking in New York on Wednesday (AEST), the Prime Minister said his government would not be deterred from trying to make the digital world safer.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has pushed back against the US. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman
“We have put forward a strong position,” Mr Albanese said ahead of a dinner hosted by Mr Trump.
“I’m proud of what we have done on social media, and the fact that the European Union have now announced a major reform as well, joining the more than 20 countries who’ve taken action.”
He said countries understood “new technology can bring enormous benefits” but that they also understood the need to ensure human call the shots.
“There are a range of advantages, but we need to make sure that humans are in control,” Mr Albanese said.
Asked specifically about Mr Trump’s rejection of any AI guardrails, he said he would “wait and see” what comes from the American leader’s meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The presidents, whose countries are driving AI development, are tipped to cover safety when they meet on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.
However, in his UN address, Mr Trump said he would not “stifle growth of something that will be bigger than the industrial revolution”.
He also declared that the US was also winning the AI race.
“Whoever wins AI … whoever wins super intelligence, wins,” Mr Trump said.
“And we’re leading now over China by a lot and everyone else – we’re gonna keep it that way.”
He said the US would be “very careful” with AI, claiming that he had already used the US Department of Justice “very powerfully” to check development.
“But we will only encourage super intelligence,” he said.
“We’re gonna encourage it, not rein it in. We’re gonna watch it closely through the Department of Justice.
“The United States leads the world in super intelligence and we’ll continue to do so safely and responsibly.”
US President Donald Trump says the US is winning ‘super intelligence’. Picture: AFP / Angela Weiss
‘Serious concerns’
On Labor’s digital duty of care, the Trump administration said via the US Embassy it had “serious concerns” about free speech, extraterritorial reach and market access concerns for American companies.
The draft legislation released for consultation earlier this month would force technology companies to build safety features into their products rather than as an afterthought.
It would apply to digital platforms across the board, from social media to AI.
It would also give users more control over algorithms – the systems that shape what people see online.
On social media, it often translates into emotionally and politically charged content designed to keep users scrolling for longer, which radicalisation experts warn is driving people to extreme views.
The Trump administration says it has ‘serious concerns’. Picture: NewsWire / Dylan Robinson
“We are particularly concerned by potential mandates that would allow regulators to impose rigid, one-size-fits-all platform design requirements – such as forced chronological feeds or opt-in recommendation systems,” the Trump administration said.
“A framework that empowers governments to enforce vague definitions of ‘harm’ risks becoming a mechanism for viewpoint-based censorship, as platforms will be incentivized to over-moderate speech that should be protected to avoid regulatory penalties.
“Such a framework also risks reducing the reach of independent journalists or other voices whose content touches on sensitive or controversial topics that platforms may preemptively demote to comply with overbroad safety mandates.”
It called on Australia to “clarify how exactly ‘harm’ and ‘risks’ shall be determined, if there are any standard definitions that will be utilized, and by whom in the context of the proposed plans, ensuring these definitions do not encroach on protected speech”.
It also warned the “U.S. government has made clear its opposition to foreign measures that result in extraterritorial censorship of protected speech by Americans online”.
