AI datacentres

Australian senators have summoned OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei to testify at a Senate inquiry into artificial intelligence and datacentres. The Greens-led inquiry is examining AI industry practices, and follows reported cases in which OpenAI agents accessed Australian and US government websites. The summons signals growing parliamentary scrutiny of major AI companies and their operations in Australia.

Major technology companies are rapidly expanding their use of guarantees to back debt raised for AI datacentres and chips, issuing up to $300 billion in commitments in less than a year. Commentators note that most of this exposure is recorded off balance sheets, raising questions about hidden financial risk in the AI buildout.

Australian officials are pushing back against growing local opposition to datacentres, arguing the backlash is a borrowed American talking point rather than a genuinely Australian concern, saying 'We are not the United States'. The comments come as communities and councils across Australia debate proposals for new datacentres tied to the expansion of artificial intelligence, with disputes over energy use, water consumption and planning approvals fueling protests.