Australia's proposed AI safety bill would force frontier model makers to open up to independent testing

Australia's government, led by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, has announced a law that would impose mandatory safety rules on frontier AI companies operating in the country for the first time. The rules target the most advanced models with the highest risk profiles and fall under the government's "AI in Australia's Interests" agenda.

A new oversight body will work alongside the Australian AI Safety Institute to enforce compliance and hand out steep penalties for violations. Companies building frontier models will have to open them up to independent audits, maintain ongoing safety checks, publish their safety frameworks, and report security incidents to the government immediately. That last requirement is partly aimed at catching early warning signs from AI agents that go off the rails.

Albanese, Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles, and ministers Tony Burke and Tim Ayres said the government is putting domestic safety guardrails in place before entering international negotiations. The goal is to protect citizens and national interests while building the kind of trust and regulatory stability that attracts investment and lets AI benefit the economy and healthcare. More details will follow once consultations wrap up.

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