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# Most Australians want AI firms to ask permission first, poll finds
- URL: https://www.promptthemarket.com/78-of-australians-say-ai-firms-must-keep-seeking-permission/
- Published: 2026-10-26T22:30:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-26T22:30:00.000Z
- Description: RedBridge's poll for ARIA found 78% would keep the rule even if some AI firms stop training here, as OpenAI and Anthropic lobby the parliamentary AI committee before it reports on 30 November.
- Author: Editor News
- Tags: AI, Australia, ARIA, #author-james-dore

![James Dore](https://storage.ghost.io/c/e4/01/e4017178-c1da-4131-80aa-35f02cb5b999/content/images/2026/09/james-dore.jpg)

By **James Dore** · 2026-10-22

TLDR

A RedBridge poll for the music industry body ARIA found 78% of Australians want AI companies to keep needing permission before training on Australian creative work, even if some firms then stop training here. Only 9% would change the law. The Joint Select Committee on AI is due to report by 30 November.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

0178% would keep the permission requirement; 9% would change the law.

02No age, gender, income or education group fell below 65% support.

0352% would be more likely to back a party that keeps the requirement.

04ARIA commissioned the poll and campaigns against any AI copyright exception.

05OpenAI and Anthropic have asked the committee for a way to train on Australian content.

## What the poll found

Seventy-eight per cent of Australians would keep the rule that AI companies must get permission before using Australian creative work, even if some firms then chose not to train their models here. Nine per cent would change the law. No age, gender, income or education group fell below 65%.[\[1\]](https://mumbrella.com.au/aria-polling-shows-strong-public-opposition-to-changing-copyright-laws-for-ai-942259?ref=promptthemarket.com)

RedBridge Group surveyed 1,524 adults online between 8 and 10 October 2026 for ARIA, the Australian Recording Industry Association, which campaigns against any copyright exception for AI training.[\[1\]](https://mumbrella.com.au/aria-polling-shows-strong-public-opposition-to-changing-copyright-laws-for-ai-942259?ref=promptthemarket.com) "In years of polling I have rarely seen public opinion this clear and this defined," said RedBridge director Kos Samaras.[\[2\]](https://www.bandt.com.au/majority-of-australians-dont-want-copyright-laws-changed-for-big-tech/?ref=promptthemarket.com)

Seventy-four per cent said creators should decide whether their work is used to train AI. Fifty-two per cent said they would be more likely to support a party that keeps the permission requirement, against 14% less likely. Sixty-eight per cent said they trust AI companies less after an OpenAI agent accessed non-public Australian Government files without authorisation.[\[2\]](https://www.bandt.com.au/majority-of-australians-dont-want-copyright-laws-changed-for-big-tech/?ref=promptthemarket.com)

"If there was ever any doubt about where Australians stand on AI and copyright, this polling settles it," said ARIA chief executive Annabelle Herd.[\[2\]](https://www.bandt.com.au/majority-of-australians-dont-want-copyright-laws-changed-for-big-tech/?ref=promptthemarket.com)

## Why now

The poll lands while the Joint Select Committee on Artificial Intelligence weighs the issue. Herd told the committee on 6 October that OpenAI and Anthropic wanted a deal to train their models in Australia. Anthropic proposed that the government "could permit AI model training through a narrow form of conditional approval", and OpenAI argued for rules that let models train on publicly available information. The committee is due to report by 30 November.[\[3\]](https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/aria-boss-tells-australian-lawmakers-openai-and-anthropic-are-asking-government-for-a-free-ride-on-copyright/?ref=promptthemarket.com)

ARIA has held this line for more than a year. In August 2025, it and the PPCA rejected a text and data mining exception examined by the Productivity Commission, arguing existing copyright law already supports licensing deals.[\[4\]](https://www.aria.com.au/industry/news/aria-and-ppca-reject-proposal-for-new-ai-fair-dealing-exception-in-the-copyright-act?ref=promptthemarket.com)

## What it means for marketers

For agencies and brands making ads, music and images with generative AI, the outcome decides whether licensing stays the rule for the models they use. A committee recommendation against any exception would leave AI companies needing permission to train on Australian work, and the poll gives politicians a reason to keep it that way.

SOURCES & CITATIONS

1. [ARIA polling shows strong public opposition to changing copyright laws for AI, Mumbrella](https://mumbrella.com.au/aria-polling-shows-strong-public-opposition-to-changing-copyright-laws-for-ai-942259?ref=promptthemarket.com)
2. [Majority of Australians don't want copyright laws changed for Big Tech, B&T](https://www.bandt.com.au/majority-of-australians-dont-want-copyright-laws-changed-for-big-tech/?ref=promptthemarket.com)
3. [ARIA boss tells Australian lawmakers OpenAI and Anthropic are 'asking government for a free ride' on copyright, Music Business Worldwide](https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/aria-boss-tells-australian-lawmakers-openai-and-anthropic-are-asking-government-for-a-free-ride-on-copyright/?ref=promptthemarket.com)
4. [ARIA and PPCA reject proposal for new AI fair dealing exception in the Copyright Act, ARIA](https://www.aria.com.au/industry/news/aria-and-ppca-reject-proposal-for-new-ai-fair-dealing-exception-in-the-copyright-act?ref=promptthemarket.com)

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Who ran the poll?

RedBridge Group, for ARIA. It surveyed 1,524 Australian adults online from 8 to 10 October 2026.

What did Australians say?

78% would keep the requirement for AI companies to seek permission before training on Australian creative work; 9% would change the law.

When does the AI committee report?

The Joint Select Committee on Artificial Intelligence is due to report by 30 November 2026.

![James Dore](https://storage.ghost.io/c/e4/01/e4017178-c1da-4131-80aa-35f02cb5b999/content/images/2026/09/james-dore.jpg)

[James Dore](https://www.promptthemarket.com/james-dore/)

James Dore is founder and editor of Prompt the Market and Strategy Director at Bushnote, a Sydney strategy, SEO and AI search agency. He has a background in strategy, media and financial services, and led consumer product marketing at MONEYME. He writes on AI search, answer engines, technology policy and media economics.