ASPI Strategist this week released a new commentary arguing that as the United States increasingly treats advanced AI models as guarded national assets subject to export controls, Australia risks being locked out of cutting-edge technology that will determine its economic, social, and security future.
The commentary states that Australia should build data centres to establish leverage over frontier AI development, make the case to Washington for its role in supporting US AI dominance, and diversify AI partnerships with like-minded middle powers as insurance against US techno-nationalism.
Quote from the commentary:
To give ourselves the best chance, Australia should … should carve out a commanding place in AI development – most obviously by building data centres to train models – so that the Americans need us as much as we need them. Companies such as Anthropic are clamouring to build data centres here, thanks to our abundant land, renewable energy, political and regulatory stability, and distance from threats such as Iranian missiles and drones. This puts Australia in a strong position and gives us leverage over frontier models in the future.
Read the full commentary: As Trump restricts frontier AI, Australia needs options