Anthony Albanese will urge Donald Trump to support safeguards for artificial intelligence when the pair have an opportunity to speak during the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
A formal one-to-one meeting between the Australian prime minister and US president has not been confirmed. However, they are expected to attend a gala reception hosted by Mr Trump during the high-level week, providing a potential opportunity for a face-to-face discussion.
Mr Albanese is seeking international co-operation on rules for the rapidly developing technology, despite Mr Trump having dismissed concerns about AI as a “hoax” and warning that a US slowdown could allow China to gain ground.
“We have a view about artificial intelligence that there needs to be appropriate safeguards put in place, and I will advocate that privately, the same as I will publicly,” Mr Albanese told reporters in New York.
He said he had a “very positive and constructive relationship” with Mr Trump and would engage with him “respectfully and constructively”.
Australia prepares national AI standards
The Australian Government is expected to introduce legislation later this year setting national standards for AI. Mr Albanese has also left open the possibility of a system allowing creators to opt out of their work being used to train or otherwise inform AI systems.
Copyright rules have been identified as a possible obstacle for AI companies planning to invest in Australia. Mr Albanese raised the issue during a private discussion with former Apple chief executive Tim Cook at the company’s headquarters in California.
The prime minister’s push for greater oversight at the UN comes as OpenAI chief Sam Altman and Anthropic chief executive Dario Amodei have called for a slowdown in the technology’s development.
Mr Albanese also plans to advocate to Mr Trump for a de-escalation of the war with Iran, which he said had contributed to rising global oil prices and was affecting inflation and the wider economy.
“We need to see (a de-escalation) because this is having a massive impact on the global economy, which effects Australians,” he said.
Mr Albanese and Mr Trump discussed the conflict and US tariffs imposed on Australia during a phone call in August.
