News Corp Declares ‘Grand Theft Australia’ on AI Firms, Demanding Copyright Accountability

October 08, 2025 at 11:29 AM EDT

Melbourne, Australia – October 8, 2025 – In a powerful address today, News Corp Australasia executive chairman Michael Miller issued a stark warning to artificial intelligence (AI) firms, accusing them of committing "Grand Theft Australia" by illicitly leveraging copyrighted content to train their sophisticated models. Speaking at the Melbourne Press Club, Miller's pronouncement underscores a burgeoning global conflict between content creators and the rapidly advancing AI industry over intellectual property rights, demanding urgent government intervention and a re-evaluation of how AI consumes and profits from creative works.

News Corp's (NASDAQ: NWS) (ASX: NWS) strong stance highlights a critical juncture in the evolution of AI, where the technological prowess of generative models clashes with established legal frameworks designed to protect creators. The media giant's aggressive push for accountability signals a potential paradigm shift, forcing AI developers to confront the ethical and legal implications of their data sourcing practices and potentially ushering in an era of mandatory licensing and fair compensation for the vast datasets fueling AI innovation.

The Digital Plunder: News Corp's Stance on AI's Content Consumption

News Corp's core grievance centers on the widespread, unauthorized practice of text and data mining (TDM), where AI systems "hoover up" vast quantities of copyrighted material—ranging from news articles and literary works to cultural expressions—without explicit permission or remuneration. Michael Miller characterized this as a "second 'big steal'," drawing a pointed parallel to the early digital age when tech platforms allegedly built their empires on the uncompensated use of others' content. The company vehemently opposes any proposed "text and data mining exception" to Australia's Copyright Act, arguing that such a legislative change would effectively legalize this "theft" and undermine the very foundation of creative industries.

This position is further reinforced by News Corp CEO Robert Thomson's earlier warnings. In August 2025, Thomson famously described the exploitation of intellectual property by AI as "vandalising virtuosity," questioning the use of copyrighted books, such as Donald Trump's "The Art of the Deal," to train AI models without consent. He likened it to "the art of the steal," emphasizing that the current approach by many AI firms bypasses the fundamental principle of intellectual property. Unlike previous technological shifts that sought to digitize and distribute content, the current AI paradigm involves ingesting and transforming content into new outputs, raising complex questions about originality, derivation, and the rights of the original creators. This approach significantly differs from traditional content aggregation or search indexing, where content is typically linked or excerpted rather than fully absorbed and re-synthesized. Initial reactions from the creative community have largely echoed News Corp's concerns, with many artists, writers, and journalists expressing alarm over the potential devaluation of their work.

Reshaping the AI Landscape: Implications for Tech Giants and Startups

News Corp's aggressive posture carries significant implications for AI companies, tech giants, and burgeoning startups alike. The company's "woo and sue" strategy is a dual-pronged approach: on one hand, it involves forming strategic partnerships, such as the multi-year licensing deal with OpenAI (OpenAI) to use News Corp's current and archived content. This suggests a pathway for AI companies to legitimately access high-quality data. On the other hand, News Corp is actively pursuing legal action against firms it accuses of copyright infringement. Dow Jones and the New York Post, both News Corp-owned entities, sued Perplexity AI (Perplexity AI) in October 2024 for alleged misuse of articles, while Brave (Brave) has been accused of monetizing widespread IP theft.

This dual strategy is likely to compel AI developers to reconsider their data acquisition methods. Companies that have historically relied on scraping the open web for training data may now face increased legal risks and operational costs as they are forced to seek licensing agreements. This could lead to a competitive advantage for firms willing and able to invest in legitimate content licensing, while potentially disrupting smaller startups that lack the resources for extensive legal battles or licensing fees. The market could see a pivot towards training models on public domain content, synthetically generated data, or exclusively licensed datasets, which might impact the diversity and quality of AI model outputs. Furthermore, News Corp's actions could set a precedent, influencing how other major content owners approach AI companies and potentially leading to a broader industry shift towards a more regulated, compensation-based model for AI training data.

A Global Call for Fair Play: Wider Significance in the AI Era

The "Grand Theft Australia" warning is not an isolated incident but rather a significant development within the broader global debate surrounding generative AI and intellectual property rights. It underscores a fundamental tension between the rapid pace of technological innovation and the need to uphold the rights of creators, ensuring that the economic benefits of AI are shared equitably. News Corp frames this issue as crucial for safeguarding Australia's cultural and creative sovereignty, warning that surrendering intellectual property to large language models would lead to "less media, less Australian voices, and less Australian stories," thereby eroding national culture and identity.

This situation resonates with ongoing discussions in other jurisdictions, where content creators and media organizations are lobbying for stronger copyright protections against AI. The impacts extend beyond mere financial compensation; they touch upon the future viability of journalism, literature, and artistic expression. The potential for AI to dilute the value of human-created content or even replace creative jobs without proper ethical and legal frameworks is a significant concern. Comparisons to previous AI milestones, such as the rise of deep learning or the advent of autonomous systems, often focused on technical capabilities. However, the current debate around copyright highlights the profound societal and economic implications that AI's integration into daily life brings, demanding a more holistic regulatory response than ever before.

Charting the Future: Regulation, Licensing, and the Path Forward

Looking ahead, the "Grand Theft Australia" declaration is poised to accelerate developments in AI regulation and content licensing. In the near term, we can anticipate intensified lobbying efforts both for and against text and data mining exceptions in Australia and other nations. The outcomes of News Corp's ongoing lawsuits against AI firms like Perplexity AI and Brave will be closely watched, as they could establish crucial legal precedents for defining "fair use" in the context of AI training data. These legal battles will test the boundaries of existing copyright law and likely shape future legislative amendments.

In the long term, experts predict a growing movement towards more robust and standardized licensing models for AI training data. This could involve the development of new market mechanisms for content creators to license their work to AI developers, potentially creating new revenue streams for industries currently struggling with digital monetization. However, significant challenges remain, including establishing fair market rates for content, developing effective tracking and attribution systems for AI-generated outputs, and balancing the imperative for AI innovation with the protection of intellectual property. Policymakers face the complex task of crafting regulations that foster technological advancement while simultaneously safeguarding creative industries and ensuring ethical AI development. The discussions initiated by News Corp's warning are likely to contribute significantly to the global discourse on responsible AI governance.

A Defining Moment for AI and Intellectual Property

News Corp's "Grand Theft Australia" warning marks a pivotal moment in the ongoing narrative of artificial intelligence. It serves as a powerful reminder that while AI's technological capabilities continue to expand at an unprecedented rate, the fundamental principles of intellectual property, fair compensation, and ethical data usage cannot be overlooked. The aggressive stance taken by one of the world's largest media conglomerates signals a clear demand for AI firms to transition from a model of uncompensated content consumption to one of legitimate licensing and partnership.

The significance of this development in AI history lies in its potential to shape the very foundation upon which future AI models are built. It underscores the urgent need for policymakers, tech companies, and content creators to collaborate on establishing clear, enforceable guidelines that ensure a fair and sustainable ecosystem for both innovation and creativity. As the legal battles unfold and legislative debates intensify in the coming weeks and months, the world will be watching closely to see whether the era of "Grand Theft Australia" gives way to a new paradigm of respectful collaboration and equitable compensation in the age of AI.

This content is intended for informational purposes only and represents analysis of current AI developments.

TokenRing AI delivers enterprise-grade solutions for multi-agent AI workflow orchestration, AI-powered development tools, and seamless remote collaboration platforms.
For more information, visit https://www.tokenring.ai/.

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