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Hours before Anthony Albanese delivered a major speech about AI in Sydney yesterday, the US state of New York imposed a one-year pause on building new data centres. But it seems Australia’s prime minister thinks pressing pause on the development of AI projects makes little sense. “That would only mean cutting ourselves off from the opportunities that are there to be seized,” he said. Key to Albanese’s plan for seizing the opportunities of the rapidly advancing technology is an Office of AI in his own department which will lead the development of new national standards. As tech law expert Rita Matulionyte writes, this is only a starting point for managing
AI. And artists, musicians and writers were waiting with bated breath to see if the government would protect their work from what the prime minister himself labelled “theft” from AI companies. As Alice Grundy writes, while he made a spirited defence of artists’ copyright, there were no concrete commitments to protect it. She outlines two ways the government could defend copyright in an age of AI.
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Drew Rooke
Deputy Science + Technology Editor
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Rita Matulionyte, Macquarie University
Hours before Albanese delivered a major speech on AI in Sydney, the US state of New York imposed a one-year pause on building new data centres.
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Alice Grundy, Australian National University
Anthony Albanese has made a spirited defence of artists’ rights in the AI age. But while data centres are getting concrete support, creators are not.
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Peter Greste, Macquarie University
The antisemitism envoy has criticised the ABC’s coverage of the Israel-Hamas conflict. But presenting all sides equally can distort the truth.
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Matteo Vergani, Deakin University
Glyn Davis, Melbourne University interim vice chancellor said management felt ‘deep despair’ about antisemitic incidents occurring on campus.
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Mareike Riedel, Macquarie University
Australian universities will be required to adopt definitions of racism, including antisemitism, as of next year.
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Shannon Brincat, University of the Sunshine Coast
The US State Department calls the ICC an ‘intolerable threat to US sovereignty’. And it can significantly disrupt the court’s work.
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Samuel Garrett, University of Sydney
The controversial bill has passed the House of Representatives and now heads to the Senate, where it will face stiff opposition.
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Reidar P. Lystad, Macquarie University
The benefits of sport are undeniable for kids. But how much risk is acceptable?
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Michelle Grattan, University of Canberra
The outgoing Labor president explains why no votes can be taken for granted in a time of ‘anxiety and insecurity’.
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Greta Hawes, Macquarie University; R. Scott Smith, University of New Hampshire
The Greeks didn’t locate their deep past in far-off fantasy lands. These stories happened in places all around them.
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Politics + Society
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Fernanda Peñaloza, University of Sydney
The history of Argentina and England transforms every match into something more than a game – a World Cup semi-final raises the stakes even further.
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Health + Medicine
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Hunter Bennett, Adelaide University
A study suggests sniffing chocolate helps boost your gym workout. No, we’re not kidding.
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Elissa Elvidge, University of Newcastle; Yin Paradies, Deakin University
When First Nations people get the right support in the health system, their physical and mental health improves.
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Business + Economy
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Anton Moiseienko, Australian National University
Australia now requires lawyers, accountants and real estate agents to report suspicious customers, at huge cost – but will this help fight crime?
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Peter Siminski, University of Technology Sydney; Christopher Carter, University of Technology Sydney
Young workers, in particular, are affected, losing out on opportunities to advance their careers.
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Environment + Energy
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Elizabeth Macpherson, University of Canterbury; David Jefferson, University of Canterbury
New Zealand’s conservation management currently prioritises full protection of pristine landscapes. Other models are based on reciprocity between people and nature.
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Nicola Willand, RMIT University; Alan Pears, RMIT University; Mike Roberts, UNSW Sydney; Xiufang (Leah) Li, RMIT University
New technologies could make the switch to solar more affordable for renters and apartment dwellers.
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Jon C. Day, James Cook University; Rob Coles, James Cook University
There’s one big threat facing the Great Barrier Reef which Australian authorities can solve. But will they?
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Science + Technology
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Saini Samim, The University of Melbourne; Hayden Dalton, The University of Melbourne; Valerie Shayne Olfindo, The University of Queensland
This year alone, the Philippines’ volcano monitoring agency has recorded 18 eruptive events at Taal Volcano – but they haven’t been the kind you might expect.
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James Patrick Rule, Monash University; Ian G. Brennan, Australian National University; Travis Park, Monash University
Unlike all other mammals, seals can hear both in the air and underwater. How do they do this?
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Books + Ideas
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Charles Barbour, Western Sydney University
Are there potential benefits to artificial friendships, or is the idea of a mechanical friend sadder or more pathetic than having no friends at all?
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