Two teenagers are taking the federal government to the High Court. They argue the ban on social media accounts for under-16s is unconstitutional because it interferes with free political communication. The ban is due to take effect on December 10. Will the High Court challenge make any difference? What does the law do? Due to… Read more »
A new government-funded body will assess the dangers of artificial intelligence (AI), fulfilling a promise made by Labor prior to the last election The Australian AI Safety Institute will evaluate emerging AI capabilities, share information and support timely actions to address potential risks. Industry, innovation and science minister Tim Ayres said in a joint release… Read more »
If you’re a young person in Australia, you probably know new social media rules are coming in December. If you and your friends are under 16, you might be locked out of the social media spaces you use every day. Some people call these rules a social media ban for under 16s. Others say it’s… Read more »
Australia’s national science agency CSIRO says it will cut up to 350 more research jobs after already removing over 800 positions in the past 18 months amid rising costs and stagnant funding. The news comes just days after the heads of CSIRO’s digital and manufacturing research arms — which have both seen job losses — left… Read more »
Meta has begun warning users it suspects are under 16 that their accounts will begin to be deactivated under the teen social media ban, as it investigates why Instagram already won’t let some users create accounts. On Thursday, Meta was the first tech company to announce its plans for complying with the government’s social media minimum age… Read more »
Recently, I had a tough conversation with my 12-year-old son. Australia had just announced that from December 2025, no one under 16 will be allowed to create a YouTube account. The idea is simple: protect kids from harm. But here’s the problem – this ban won’t do what it promises. In fact, it risks making… Read more »
Chief artificial intelligence officers will be appointed to every federal agency in 2026 as generative AI causes a “fundamental shift” in government operations, according to an AI Plan for the Australian Public Service (APS) released by the federal government on Wednesday. The plan will see every government worker given access to generative AI tools, as… Read more »
Australia’s top national security bureaucrat used an AI chatbot to ghostwrite speeches and messages to his colleagues, internal documents show. As Finance Minister Katy Gallagher announces a significant government-wide AI plan to promote its use in the public service, Crikey has used freedom of information (FOI) laws to reveal how a government employee is already using the nascent… Read more »
The Albanese government has finally responded officially to the Pathway to Diversity in STEM Review handed to them 19 months ago, although the review’s chair, still sees major gaps, despite a pledge to adopt all 11 recommendations. It also comes 8 months after the former minister Ed Husic said in March, ahead of the election,… Read more »
The Victorian government’s flagship tech investment fund, Breakthrough Victoria, ended up in the red for a second year in a row after just four years in operation. The fund, which cut costs while ramping up investment, and increasing returns on cash deposits, posted a $5.7 million loss, according to its 2025 annual report, attributing it… Read more »
In September, US electric car maker Tesla rolled out a semi-autonomous driving feature it describes as “the future of transport” in Australia. As its name suggests, the Full Self-Driving (Supervised) system blurs the line between human and machine control. Our current licensing and road-safety frameworks were not designed to handle this situation. A federal government… Read more »
Australia is “not on track” to meet the federal government’s goal of 1.2 million technology‑related jobs by 2030, according to new economic data from its Department of Industry, Science and Resources (DISR). The target, which was set by industry lobby group Tech Council of Australia and adopted by the federal government in 2022, would no longer… Read more »
Government investments worth more than $31 million in Canberra quantum computing startup Quantum Brilliance have led to the world’s first commercial quantum diamond foundry opening in Melbourne today to produce computer circuits using lab-grown gems. Quantum Brilliance, founded in 2019, using research undertaken at ANU, is the world’s leading developer of miniaturised quantum computing products,… Read more »
The founder of 20-year-old Canberra cybersecurity firm QuintessenceLabs, Dr Vikram Sharma, is among eight of the nation’s top scientists, innovators and educators recognised in the 2025 Prime Minister’s Prizes for Science. The annual awards recognise outstanding achievements in scientific research, innovation, and teaching Queensland University of Technology physicist and air quality expert professor Lidia Morawska won… Read more »
The federal government-backed Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) is investing up to $40 million in household renewable energy fintech Brighte. The investment will share 2% off the cost of loans for home energy efficiency improvements, including solar and battery systems, energy-efficient heating and cooling, insulation, and EV chargers, with Brighte launching a new discounted green… Read more »
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