Extension to Annual Business Licence for news media content in prompts for AI tools
May 21, 2025
Copyright Agency is pleased to announce an extension of its Annual Business Licence that allows staff of licensed businesses to use news media content as part of prompts for AI tools that are used in the workplace.
This extension follows external research showing widespread and increasing use of AI tools in Australian businesses. Staff in Australian businesses are commonly using AI tools to more efficiently complete tasks such as summarisation and analysis.
It also follows communications and consultations with news media publishers and rightsholders. There is more information about the licence extension on our website here. The licence does not apply to training, and does not allow material used for prompts to be captured outside the licensed business (for example, by an external provider of an AI tool).
Copyright Agency is continuing its consultations with members with a view to more collective licensing solutions for AI-related activity in the future. Collective licensing solutions are also in place in the US (here) and the UK (here), and under development in other countries.
Copyright Agency is also talking to representatives from the government and education sectors about how the very broad statutory licence schemes in Australia’s Copyright Act may assist with ethical uptake of AI-related technologies in those sectors.