AI Law TrackerAI Law Tracker
🔴Illinois HB 3773IN EFFECTUp to ~$70K/violation|🔴Texas TRAIGA (HB 149)IN EFFECTAG-enforced|🔴Utah AI Policy ActIN EFFECT$2,500/violation|⚠️Colorado AI Act (SB 205)Jan 1, 2027AG-enforced|⚠️California SB 942Aug 2, 2026$5K/day|⚠️EU AI Act Art. 50Aug 2, 2026€35M or 7% revenue|⚠️New York RAISE ActJan 1, 2027AG civil penalties|
Global AI lawFlag of AustraliaVoluntary framework

AI Laws in Australia

Australia has chosen not to enact a standalone AI Act. As of 2026, AI-specific obligations are voluntary — businesses are encouraged to follow the Voluntary AI Safety Standard's ten guardrails (governance, transparency, human oversight, testing, record-keeping). A 2024 proposal for mandatory guardrails on high-risk AI remains unlegislated; the December 2025 National AI Plan reaffirmed reliance on existing laws and sector regulators. The main statutory exposure for AI is the Privacy Act 1988, where serious breaches now risk penalties up to A$50 million.

By · Editorial Team
Published Reviewed
Map showing the location of Australia in the world
Australia on the world map

Applicable laws

📜 Australia's AI Ethics Principles (2019, voluntary)
📜 Voluntary AI Safety Standard (Sept 2024)
📜 Proposed mandatory guardrails for high-risk AI (consultation)
📜 Privacy Act 1988 (as amended 2024)

Penalty: No AI-specific penalty; Privacy Act 1988 up to A$50M, 3× benefit, or 30% of adjusted turnover for serious breaches

Live · Office of the Australian Information Commissioner

AI-specific legislation (2)

Updated October 10, 2026

Bills and instruments in Australia whose own subject is artificial intelligence or automated decision-making, pulled automatically from the official legislature feed. See our scope definition.

Criminal Code Amendment (Deepfake Sexual Material) Act 2024 (No. 78, 2024)Act
In force·→
Online Safety (Designated Internet Services—Class 1A and Class 1B Material) Industry Standard 2024Legislative Instrument
In force·→
Not counted as AI law

General legislation that applies to AI (3)

These are not AI statutes — they are data, consumer and digital rules that bind AI systems like any other technology. They carry real obligations, so we publish them; they are deliberately excluded from our AI-coverage counts.

Bunnings Group Limited and Privacy Commissioner (Guidance and Appeals Panel) [2026] ARTA 130Tribunal review decision
finalised·→
Commissioner Initiated Investigation into Kmart Australia Limited (Privacy) [2025] AICmr 155Enforcement determination
issued·→
Commissioner Initiated Investigation into Bunnings Group Limited (Privacy) [2024] AICmr 230Enforcement determination
reviewed·→
● Live

Recent AI law developments in Australia

Updated August 31, 2026

Recent news coverage of AI regulation and policy in Australia. Headlines are aggregated automatically; follow each link for the full story.

Australia privacy laws : Federal government to overhaul legislation for AI and smart glassesBook Catalog · CC BY 2.0 · via flickr
Australia privacy laws : Federal government to overhaul legislation for AI and smart glasses

Coverage from smh.com.au on AI legislation and regulation relevant to Australia.

smh.com.au·→
Anthony Albanese third - term agenda : How the Prime Minister plans to regulate big tech and artificial intelligence to combat populismNASA Goddard Photo and Video · CC BY 2.0 · via nasa
Anthony Albanese third - term agenda : How the Prime Minister plans to regulate big tech and artificial intelligence to combat populism

Coverage from theage.com.au on AI legislation and regulation relevant to Australia.

theage.com.au·→
AI is already breaking the rules , how will a royal commission help ?NASA Goddard Photo and Video · CC BY 2.0 · via nasa
AI is already breaking the rules , how will a royal commission help ?

Coverage from abc.net.au on AI legislation and regulation relevant to Australia.

abc.net.au·→
AI resilience is the next step after the Government AI regulatory frameworkWorld Economic Forum · CC BY 3.0 · via wikimedia
AI resilience is the next step after the Government AI regulatory framework

Coverage from independentaustralia.net on AI legislation and regulation relevant to Australia.

independentaustralia.net·→
Federal government to tighten rules around use of AI in departmental decision - makingwoodleywonderworks · CC BY 2.0 · via flickr
Federal government to tighten rules around use of AI in departmental decision - making

Coverage from abc.net.au on AI legislation and regulation relevant to Australia.

abc.net.au·→

High-risk industries to watch in Australia

🏥 Healthcare
🏦 Finance
👔 HR & Hiring
🛡️ Insurance
⚖️ Legal
🎓 Education

US-based? Check your state laws too

If you're a US company serving Australia customers, you need to comply with both your state's AI laws and Australia regulation.

US AI laws hub →All 51 US jurisdictions →EU AI Act →Check my state →
Editorial standards

Anchored to the primary government source (statute, bill text, or agency rule) and verified directly against it · Last verified Jun 16, 2026. See our methodology.

Primary sources · Australia
  • ↗industry.gov.auhttps://www.industry.gov.au/publications/voluntary-ai-safety-standard
  • ↗homeaffairs.gov.auhttps://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/reports-and-publications/submissions-and-discu…
  • ↗oaic.gov.auhttps://www.oaic.gov.au/