Labour eyes tight energy rules for data centres, copyright protections for artists and media, education, productivity focus and more in AI policy

Labour is following Australia's artificial intelligence (AI) roadmap, promising to introduce an Office of AI, a minister responsible for AI, tight new rules for data centre electricity use and copyright protections for artists and media. 

Labour leader Chris Hipkins said New Zealand "cannot leave it to big international tech companies to decide how it shapes our future."

Asked how it was different to Australia's policy, Hipkins said Labour had "looked at the Australians, we've looked around the world, and we've looked at what the unique needs are for New Zealand, and we've come up with an action plan that's based on all of that work."

"If we can align with Australia, that's going to be good for our creative sector, who often work on both sides of the Tasman. It's going to be good for our business community, who can work on both sides of the Tasman, and it's going to create more certainty and stability for everybody involved," he said. 

"I make no apology for the fact that there's a lot of similarities between what we want to do and what the Australians are doing."

The party's technology spokesperson Reuben Davidson said if elected in November's election, the party would "make big data centres pay their own way, securing their own renewable energy and covering their own connection costs."

"New Zealand households shouldn't be subsidising the power bills of overseas tech companies."

An Office of AI would coordinate AI policy across government. Hipkins wants this to be done by moving the Government's digital delivery agency (GDDA), which has only recently moved its functions from the Department of Internal Affairs to the Public Service Commission, into the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet.

Hipkins said the Commission "is not there to be a delivery agency". He also confirmed he did not want a 'Minister of AI', but instead a senior minister with AI in their portfolio. 

National recently announced it would require new data centres to have a 'additionality test,' so they would be accompanied by new, firmed power generation.

"Requiring new firmed [back up power] generation alongside new data centres means the development of digital infrastructure doesn’t put upward pressure on power prices for households and businesses, while giving energy developers the committed customers they need to finance new generation," National's policy statement said.

Labour's plan includes:

• Establish an Office of AI to coordinate AI policy across government
• Establish an online safety regulator within the Department for Internal Affairs
• Develop a copyright framework so creators control and are paid for their work
• Set clear rules for data centres so households aren't left carrying the cost
• Support small businesses and community organisations to adopt AI safely
• Establish an AI in Education team to support schools, teachers and students
• Work with businesses and unions to make sure productivity gains show up in wages and conditions

It is similar to Australia's AI roadmap, released in July, where Prime Minister Anthony Albanese unveiled a plan to create a new Office of AI, new energy rules for data centres and legal protections for local content. 

Davidson said there were currently no adequate protections in place to safeguard the work of artists and the creative community.

 "And it's government's responsibility to step in and put a framework in place that gives our creative communities confidence that they can continue to be some of the best in the world."

Asked how they would actually enforce copyright measures on big tech companies, Davidson said that was where; "the strength in... harmonising legislation with the likes of Australia comes into play, making sure that we can be a strong country of five million, but we can also work with bigger neighbours and between us be a stronger force to ensure that creatives get what they deserve."

Hipkins said New Zealand needed to catch up.

"The more we can align with other like-minded countries - including Australia, the European Union are having very active debates on these issues at the moment, the more we can align with those countries, the more clout we're going to have, and the more successful we can be."

RNZ reported ACT leader David Seymour saying the Ministry for Regulation has issued guidance to every government department on AI, there was already an online safety regulator in the DIA, "and so far as trying to to get ahead of and take advantage of the economic benefits, Labour sound like they're taking an approach that this is all bad."

"There are risks with AI, but actually we should be looking to make better use of it," Seymour said.