The Australian AI Safety Institute (AISI) launched in early 2026 with AUD $29.9 million in funding, sitting within the Department of Industry, Science and Resources. Recruitment commenced late 2025 and most positions were filled by February 2026.
The AISI does not hold direct regulatory enforcement powers — specialist regulators retain enforcement under existing laws. Its mandate covers pre-deployment testing of advanced AI systems, upstream risk assessment, downstream harm analysis of deployed systems, and identification of regulatory gaps where existing laws do not address AI-specific risks.
Australia joined the International Network of AI Safety Institutes alongside the UK, US, Japan, Singapore, Canada, and the EU. The AISI operates under the “Keep Australians Safe” pillar of the National AI Plan (December 2025).
Score impact: Dim 10 raised from 0 to 1 — Australia now has a named government body with AI governance mandate, though it is advisory/monitoring rather than a full regulator with enforcement powers.