Husic: AI Giants Should Be Forced to Give Australian Businesses Privileged Access to Technology as a Condition of Foreign Investment Approval
Australian Financial Review
ENRICHED
Details
- Date Published
- 25 Feb 2026
- Priority Score
- 3
- Australian
- Yes
- Created
- 24 Feb 2026, 07:00 pm
Description
Former Labor industry minister Ed Husic said the Albanese government must not lose focus on where the benefit was for Australian industry and academia.
Summary
The article discusses a proposal by former Labor industry minister Ed Husic, suggesting that AI giants should be mandated to provide privileged access to their technology to Australian businesses as a requirement for foreign investment approval. This measure is aimed at ensuring that the benefits of AI development are harnessed for the advancement of Australian industry and academia. The proposal emerges in a context where there is a global competition to establish data centers. Husic's perspective highlights a strategic intersection of AI policy and economic benefit for Australia, though it does not delve deeply into existential or catastrophic AI risks.
Body
PoliticsFederalAIPrint articleRonald MizenPolitical correspondentFeb 25, 2026 – 5.00amFormer Labor industry minister Ed Husic says artificial intelligence giants should be forced to give Australian business privileged access to their tech as a condition of foreign investment approval, and the government should use taxpayer funds to bolster local AI development.Husic, who was responsible for Labor’s AI policy until he was dumped from the frontbench in a factional brawl last year, said amid a global data centre “frenzy”, the Albanese government must not lose focus on where the benefit was for Australian industry and academia.Loading...Ronald Mizen is the Financial Review’s political correspondent, reporting from the press gallery at Parliament House, Canberra. Connect with Ronald on Twitter. Email Ronald at ronald.mizen@afr.comSaveLog in or Subscribe to save articleShareCopy linkCopiedEmailLinkedInTwitterFacebookCopy linkCopiedShare via...Gift this articleSubscribe to gift this articleGift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe.Subscribe nowAlready a subscriber? LoginLicense articleFollow the topics, people and companies that matter to you.Find out moreRead MoreAIBusiness Council of AustraliaEd HusicAndrew CharltonForeign investmentSoftwareWeb cultureOpenAIAnthropicFetching latest articles