Albanese’s AI blueprint sparks calls for datacentre moratorium until new regulations in place

Prime minister’s plan will create energy regulations for datacentres in Australia

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Environmental and community groups have called for a pause on datacentre development until new regulations are in place after Anthony Albanese promised “greater clarity and speed” over their approval.

In his landmark speech on artificial intelligence at the University of Sydney on Wednesday, the prime minister said Australia would create a legal obligation for large-scale datacentres to underwrite new power supply, pay their full share of grid connection, and add as much energy to the grid as they take out of it.