South Australia has launched Australia’s first royal commission into artificial intelligence, with Premier Peter Malinauskas warning that unchecked development of the technology poses a material risk to the way society operates.
The inquiry is expected to commence on October 1, 2026 and deliver its final report by July 1, 2027. A panel of three royal commissioners with relevant expertise will be appointed within the coming weeks to lead the investigation, which will cost approximately AU$3 million.
Malinauskas announced the commission after returning from a trip to the United States where he met with leaders at major AI companies including OpenAI, Anthropic, and Apple. During the visit, he signed a memorandum of understanding with OpenAI co-founder and president Greg Brockman at the company’s San Francisco headquarters.
We are at a really important fork in the road, Malinauskas said at the announcement. We can choose to allow this industry to come to our country and evolve in a way that is unregulated and unchecked.
The commission will examine policy and regulatory settings at both state and national levels, along with the impacts and opportunities for education, public health, the workforce, and infrastructure. Commissioners will hear submissions from businesses, industry bodies, unions, technology developers, academics, and representatives of creative industries.
South Australia is the first Australian state to appoint a dedicated Minister for AI and Digital Economy, with Chris Picton taking on the role. Malinauskas framed the inquiry as part of his government’s track record of protecting young people, drawing a parallel with earlier moves on social media regulation.
The announcement comes amid growing global momentum on AI governance. The Trump administration recently finalized voluntary cybersecurity tests to measure the hacking capabilities of advanced American AI models, with Meta, Anthropic, OpenAI, and Google meeting White House officials to discuss the framework. In the United Kingdom, a survey found 30 percent of manufacturers were hit by hacking attempts last year, adding urgency to calls for stronger AI security standards.
Sources: ABC News Australia, Capital Brief, SBS News
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