> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://elliottbledsoe.wtf/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # WTF now?! #56 – Thursday 8–Wednesday 14 October 2026 - URL: https://elliottbledsoe.wtf/wtf-now-56/ - Published: 2026-10-14T07:01:14.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-14T07:01:14.000Z - Description: The Joint Select Committee on Artificial Intelligence has sent advice to the Prime Minister Anthony Albanese touching on copyright, data centres, standards, safety, literacy and more. - Author: Elliott Bledsoe - Tags: WTF now?!, AI, agentic AI, copyright & AI, copyright, copyright licensing The fallout from the unauthorised agentic activity on the Medicare statistics portal reached the highest levels of government this week as OpenAI gave evidence to the Joint Select Committee on Artificial Intelligence (JSCAI). The Committee also [delivered early advice](#joint-committee-on-ai-pushes-the-prime-minister-on-ai-on-australias-terms) to the Prime Minister ahead of their formal report coming in November. Wide-ranging it touches on copyright, data centres, standards, safety, literacy and more. Meanwhile, [questions about the committee's independence](#pocock-raises-interference-concern-over-ai-commmittee-letter-and-openai-gave-evidence-post-medicare-incident) adds another lens to the rising stakes of AI governance in Australia. You can get weekly [**WTF now?!*](https://elliottbledsoe.wtf/wtf-now/) round-ups in your inbox. Sign up as a free member to get it by email. [Get WTF now?! by email ](https://elliottbledsoe.wtf/signup/) --- ## WTF’s been going on? Here's WTF happened this week: ### Joint Committee on AI pushes the Prime Minister on AI on Australia's terms TL;DR The Joint Select Committee on Artificial Intelligence has sent early recommendations to the Prime Minister urging comprehensive safeguards, sovereign capabilities, a copyright fix for AI training and standards to ensure AI develops in Australia's national interest. Before their reporting date of 30 November 2026, the Chair and Deputy Chair of the [Joint Select Committee on Artificial Intelligence](https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary%5FBusiness/Committees/Joint/Artificial%5FIntelligence?ref=elliottbledsoe.wtf) (JSCAI) – Jo Brisky MP and Senator Jonathon Dunaim – sent a [letter](https://www.aph.gov.au/DocumentStore.ashx?id=624cc99a-6e83-4e7a-aabb-15828aeac37d&ref=elliottbledsoe.wtf) dated yesterday to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese as an ‘early indicator of the direction of the work of the committee, to inform government of actions that the committee believes need to be undertaken.’ At a high level, the advice calls for AI on Australia’s terms, in our national interest and for Australia’s benefit. Off the back of the agentic activity on the Medicare statistics portal that was [revealed a fortnight ago](https://elliottbledsoe.wtf/wtf-now-54/#openai-agent-medicare-breach-accelerates-australia%E2%80%99s-ai-safety-push) the wide-ranging ‘early advice and recommendations’ calls for AI safeguards. ⟨ there's a bit to it so I have used headings! ⟩ #### Standards and other instruments JSCAI recommends establishing principles guiding AI development, deployment and use in Australia and supporting a sovereign Australian AI industry that is competitive in global AI markets. Those should facilitate international investment, cooperation and export opportunities, while avoiding unnecessary regulatory fragmentation or barriers to Australia’s. They also suggest in some circumstances ‘appropriately constrained powers for relevant ministers to make and update subordinate instruments in response to technological developments, emerging risks and changes in international standards’ that is subject to ‘appropriate parliamentary scrutiny, consultation requirements and periodic statutory review’ to ensure that regulatory arrangements remain effective, internationally competitive and conducive to innovation. #### Sovereign AI Further to the priority of establishing a sovereign Australian AI industry JSCAI suggests a coordinated national policy to encourage investment in, development of and ownership of sovereign Australian AI capabilities, including domestic computing infrastructure, data centers, research, model development, commercialisation and strategic supply chains. JSCAI also calls for data sovereignty, governance and security, including jurisdictional control, cross-border data transfers, foreign access, privacy, intellectual property (IP) and the protection of sensitive government, commercial and national security information. #### Copyright There is a need to review copyright to address status quo barriers to AI training in Australia while ensuring Australian creators retain control, are paid and that AI systems reflect Australian values and culture. #### Public interest compute Where frontier and other labs operate in Australia, JSCAI calls for a commitment to reserving a portion of overall compute capacity for public interest use to advance community and the national interest, including national security, higher education research and development, health and social services. In addition, the government should continue to invest in public interest compute to meet national research needs that cannot be met by LLM training data centres. #### Safety JSCAI is asking for a proportionate, risk-based framework for AI systems that would include model evaluation, safety testing, cyber security, transparency, accountability, human oversight and ongoing monitoring. These would be complimented by standards to address distinct risks, with the hopes this more flexible approach will avoid unnecessary regulatory burdens that would inhibit innovation and investment. They also suggest oversight by a new ongoing Parliamentary Joint Standing Committee. It would provide ongoing accountability, undertake rapid review of new regulation when required and receive regular and as needed reports from the [AI Safety Institute](https://www.industry.gov.au/science-technology-and-innovation/technology/artificial-intelligence/ai-safety-institute?ref=elliottbledsoe.wtf), the [Office of AI](https://www.pmc.gov.au/domestic-policy/office-ai?ref=elliottbledsoe.wtf) and the AI Incident Review Board in relation to incidents reported to them. And they want more funding for the AI Safety Institute, contributions to international safety testing efforts and independent evaluators with ‘employee-like access’ embedded in the mainstream AI companies to monitor and assist in managing risks and report to government on safety testing and incidents under established guidelines and timeframes. #### Data centres To encourage data center buildout, JSCAI recommends developing nationally consistent standards for data centres that are adopted and implemented by the states and territories through planning laws. Data centre standards should cover resource consumption, additional energy generation, planning and approvals, community inputs, social licence and penalties for noncompliance. These should be complimented by nationally consistent requirements and planning principles for strategic AI infrastructure, including access to reliable and competitively priced energy, water, telecommunications connectivity, computing capacity and secure supply chains, while appropriately managing impacts on communities, energy systems and national resilience. #### Data The government should review all government data repositories – especially critical and sensitive information or information related to national security – to ensure safeguards and protections and respond to the review of the *Data Availability and Transparency Act 2022* (Cth). #### AI literacy In a push for greater AI uptake the JSCAI recommends the government focus on AI literacy and skills and workforce development. They suggest awareness campaigns, education and training across the economy and society to encourage adoption and workforce transition. #### AI procurement JSCAI calls for a whole-of-government procurement and adoption policies to position the federal government as an anchor customer for Australian AI capabilities to support the establishment and growth of a sovereign AI industry. Such arrangements should recognise sovereign capability, national security, interoperability, value for money and the long-term strategic benefits of developing a competitive domestic AI industry, as well as meet legal and international obligations and community expectations. #### High-risk areas JSCAI recommends a coordinated approach to AI adoption, development and secure deployment in key areas including defence, intelligence, law enforcement and national security. They call for strengthened partnerships with AI companies to secure access to and rapid adoption of advanced AI capabilities while protecting sovereign interests, classified information and critical infrastructure. They also call for a review of the Security of Critical Infrastructure framework to ensure it is fit for purpose and covers critical AI infrastructure. JSCAI also calls for monitoring and, where necessary, mitigating risks related to AI and biological weapons and participating in international norm-setting in gene technology, sequencing and screening. #### Australia’s role internationally JSCAI wants Australia’s AI standards to be internationally interoperable and appropriately aligned with recognised international technical standards and assurance frameworks. They also want to see Australia play a greater role in AI safety internationally. They also encourage the Australian Government to work with Pacific Nations to share AI benefits, empower Pacific Nations and assist in continued stability in the region. --- ### Pocock raises interference concern over AI Commmittee letter and OpenAI gave evidence post-Medicare incident TL;DR Independent Senator David Pocock has questioned the sharing of the letter from the Joint Select Committee on Artificial Intelligence with the Prime Minister’s office before its release while OpenAI gave evidence to the Committee in the wake of the agentic Medicare data incident. Separate to the actual words of the letter, there has been some controversy. In particular, independent Senator David Pocock has raised concerns the letter included mark-ups from an adviser to Anthony Albanese, which Pocock says suggests pre-vetted by the PM’s office. Pocock said, ‘We’ve seen enough major party stitch ups.’ Whether it is that or just an artefact of genuine bipartisan effort to progress the issue is hard to say. Committee Chair Labor MP Jo Briskey said she had engaged with the Prime Minister’s office ahead of finalising the advice and noted that the committee’s final report has not been predetermined. Similarly, Committee Deputy Chair Liberal Senator Jonno Duniam said the Coalition was also consulted on the letter and that the collaborative approach of the committee was an example of Parliament ‘working well’. Speaking of the Committee, it was interesting to hear comments by OpenAI’s Chief Strategy Officer Jason Kwon a public hearing in Sydney yesterday given the [revelation a fortnight ago](https://elliottbledsoe.wtf/wtf-now-54/#openai-agent-medicare-breach-accelerates-australia%E2%80%99s-ai-safety-push) of unauthorised agentic activity on the Medicare statistics portal. Kwon told Pocock ‘it’s not good enough’ that the AI company informed Services Australia of the agentic activity via a generic email address. Video: A Guardian Australia [YouTube video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztNkqArWCxk&ref=elliottbledsoe.wtf) of a part of OpenAI’s Chief Strategy Officer Jason Kwon’s evidence to the Joint Select Committee on Artificial Intelligence. [Pocock concerned about PM’s office reviewed draft AI adviceLabor and the Coalition have rejected concerns about undue interference in a parliamentary AI inquiry after the prime minister’s office reviewed draft recommendations.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/69/85/69850acf-cfb0-462c-a6e8-fab23827fb03/content/images/icon/favicon-4f63a111-c4ca-47ea-8572-20905e813529.png)ABC NewsClare Armstrong![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/69/85/69850acf-cfb0-462c-a6e8-fab23827fb03/content/images/thumbnail/fbb12902758942618db32d3156cf13de-c7585493-49ed-410d-abdd-0e80925e044b.jpg)](https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-10-13/ai-inquiry-independent-safety-watchdogs/107258612?ref=elliottbledsoe.wtf) [OpenAI has ‘work to do to rebuild trust’ in Australia, executive tells AI inquiryAnthropic tells inquiry it ‘never tried to dictate’ Australian copyright rules as the ABC says copyright laws do not need changing![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/69/85/69850acf-cfb0-462c-a6e8-fab23827fb03/content/images/icon/favicon-32x32-31eca33a-ac5b-4e08-bbb3-19cc901bd5a5.ico)The GuardianJosh Taylor![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/69/85/69850acf-cfb0-462c-a6e8-fab23827fb03/content/images/thumbnail/2500-dccc690e-61d1-4b5a-8801-e27e4e79bf5b.jpg)](https://www.theguardian.com/media/2026/oct/06/openai-australia-parliament-inquiry-jason-kwon?ref=elliottbledsoe.wtf) If you are enjoying this [**WTF now?!*](https://elliottbledsoe.wtf/wtf-now/) round-up, please consider [becoming a paid subscriber](https://elliottbledsoe.wtf/subscribe/) or [making a small contribution](#/portal/support/) in support – it helps me keep creating free content like this. 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