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CBA, Telstra Back Research Blitz into AI’s Impact on Jobs

Australian Financial Review

ENRICHED

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Date Published
14 July 2026
Priority Score
2
Australian
Yes
Created
14 July 2026, 10:00 am

Authors (1)

Description

A coalition of businesses and academics will study how AI is changing the working lives of Australians, and where companies go right and wrong.

Summary

This article highlights a three-year collaborative research initiative between the University of Sydney, Commonwealth Bank, and Telstra to investigate the societal and economic impacts of rapid AI automation. While the study intends to establish 'guardrails' for the Australian economy, the primary focus remains on workforce transition and labor market disruption rather than existential or catastrophic technical safety risks. The mention of an upcoming landmark policy speech by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese indicates a significant shift in Australian domestic AI governance and national strategy. These developments reflect a growing urgency in the Australian private and public sectors to manage the transformative power of frontier AI capabilities at a systemic level.

Body

TechnologyAIPrint articlePaul SmithTechnology editorJul 14, 2026 – 6.03pmTelstra and Commonwealth Bank may be leading Australia’s charge into the artificial intelligence revolution, but their leaders admit they still don’t fully understand how it will impact their workers.To address that, the corporate heavyweights are backing a three-year University of Sydney study aimed at building the guardrails for a rapidly automating economy, as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese prepares to deliver a landmark policy speech on the technology on Wednesday.Loading...SaveLog 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 articleRead MoreAICommonwealth BankTelstra CorporationAshurst LLPDeloitteDeloitteUniversity Of SydneyAnthony AlbaneseSydneyBen BernankeMark ScottAnthropicUSAGoogleFederal ReserveFetching latest articles