Australian AI Safety Statistics

Public opinion data on AI governance, regulation, and safety measures

Understanding Australian Opinion on AI Safety

We've collected key polling statistics showing how Australians feel about AI safety and regulation. The data comes from various research organisations and surveys, giving us a snapshot of public opinion on AI governance and risk management.

Use the search and filters below to find specific topics or browse by source. Each statistic links back to the original research where you can read more about the methodology and findings.

96%

Australians are concerned about generative AI

Almost unanimous concern about generative AI

94%

Australians expect AI safety standards at least as strict as commercial aviation

Including 58% who want standards stricter than airlines. Only 6% would accept looser rules. Aviation carries a risk of less than 1 in 10 million deaths per flight.

94%

Australians believe Australia should lead international AI governance

Strong majority support for Australian leadership in global AI governance initiatives

93%

Experts found current Australian laws inadequate for managing AI loss of control risks

Existing laws largely innefectual for biggest risks

91%

Australians would trust AI more with a right to human review of AI decisions

The right to challenge an AI decision and have the complaint reviewed by a person.

90%

Australians would trust AI more with an Australian AI Safety Institute

A body to assess advanced AI, brief government on its risks, and work with industry on deploying it safely.

89%

Australians would trust AI more with annual independent safety audits

Requiring large AI developers to undergo annual independent audits of their safety compliance.

89%

Australians would trust AI more with mandatory safety incident reporting

Requiring AI developers to report safety incidents such as model escapes, unauthorised access, or autonomous behaviour to authorities within 72 hours.

89%

Australians want government to prioritise preventing loss of human control over AI

Preventing situations where AI systems could get out of human control ranked among the top risks Australians want government to address.

87%

Australians would trust AI more with emergency shutdown capabilities

Requiring AI models to have shutdown capabilities so developers can disable a model in an emergency.

86%

Australians support the creation of a new government regulatory body for AI

Clear support for establishing dedicated AI regulatory oversight

85%

Australians would trust AI more with an Australian AI regulator

A regulator that sets and enforces laws and safety standards for AI.

85%

Australians want more media reporting on how government is regulating AI

A further 79% want more coverage of how AI is going to affect society.

84%

Australians would trust AI more if developers were liable for catastrophic harms

Making developers of large AI models liable for catastrophic harms caused by their models.

83%

Australians think AI regulation is falling behind the technology

Only 13% think regulation is keeping pace with AI development, and just 5% think it is running ahead.

83%

Australians more willing to trust AI systems adhering to international standards

Strong trust dividing from building international standards

80%

Australians back a 10-year delay to advanced AI to cut catastrophic risk

Asked whether a delay would be worthwhile if it reduced catastrophic risk from 5% to 0.5%. Even a 50-year delay drew majority support (57%).

80%

Australians think preventing AI-driven extinction should be a global priority

Majority view AI existential risk as critical global challenge requiring urgent action

77%

Australians do not trust tech companies to ensure their AI is safe

Only 2% trust technology companies "a great deal" to ensure the AI they develop is safe. Australia is among the least trusting countries surveyed.

74%

Australians worry the government will not regulate AI enough

When forced to choose, only 26% are more concerned that the government will go too far regulating AI.

72%

Australians want government to prioritise managing AI risks over innovation

When forced to choose between managing risks from AI and driving innovation from AI, 72% chose risk management.

64%

Australians fear the loss of personal or societal control due to the rise of AI

63%

Australians are worried about AI causing widespread job loss

21% are very worried and 42% fairly worried that AI will lead to widespread unemployment.

58%

Australians are worried humans will lose control of AI

19% are very worried and 39% fairly worried that humans will lose control of AI.

57%

Australians support an international treaty banning smarter-than-human AI

Majority support for a global ban on developing artificial superintelligence, a stated goal of several frontier AI companies.

51%

Australians reject a 1% chance of global catastrophe even for radical benefits

Asked about an AI system with a 1% chance of causing over 1 million deaths but a 60% chance of solving climate change and extending lifespan by 20 years, 51% found the trade-off unacceptable. Even at a 1 in 10,000 chance, 46% rejected it.

25%

Australians believe AI presents a risk of human extinction in the next twenty years

About This Data

Data Sources

•2024 Survey Assessing Risks from Artificial Intelligence, University of Queensland
•2025 Survey Assessing Risks from Artificial Intelligence (SARA), University of Queensland
•Digital platform services inquiry. ACCC. March 2025. Australian Government.
•KPMG Futuresphere 2025 report
•Roy Morgan Snap SMS Survey: October 2-4, 2025
•Sadler, G et al. (2025, August 19). Australian AI Legislation Stress Test: Expert Survey. Good Ancestors.
•Trust in artificial intelligence. Global insights 2025. KPMG.

Key Findings

•Strong majority support for AI governance measures
•High concern about generative AI technologies
•Support for international AI safety standards
•Recognition of extinction-level AI risks

96%

Australians are concerned about generative AI

Almost unanimous concern about generative AI

94%

Australians expect AI safety standards at least as strict as commercial aviation

Including 58% who want standards stricter than airlines. Only 6% would accept looser rules. Aviation carries a risk of less than 1 in 10 million deaths per flight.

94%

Australians believe Australia should lead international AI governance

Strong majority support for Australian leadership in global AI governance initiatives

93%

Experts found current Australian laws inadequate for managing AI loss of control risks

Existing laws largely innefectual for biggest risks

91%

Australians would trust AI more with a right to human review of AI decisions

The right to challenge an AI decision and have the complaint reviewed by a person.

90%

Australians would trust AI more with an Australian AI Safety Institute

A body to assess advanced AI, brief government on its risks, and work with industry on deploying it safely.

89%

Australians would trust AI more with annual independent safety audits

Requiring large AI developers to undergo annual independent audits of their safety compliance.

89%

Australians would trust AI more with mandatory safety incident reporting

Requiring AI developers to report safety incidents such as model escapes, unauthorised access, or autonomous behaviour to authorities within 72 hours.

89%

Australians want government to prioritise preventing loss of human control over AI

Preventing situations where AI systems could get out of human control ranked among the top risks Australians want government to address.

87%

Australians would trust AI more with emergency shutdown capabilities

Requiring AI models to have shutdown capabilities so developers can disable a model in an emergency.

86%

Australians support the creation of a new government regulatory body for AI

Clear support for establishing dedicated AI regulatory oversight

85%

Australians would trust AI more with an Australian AI regulator

A regulator that sets and enforces laws and safety standards for AI.

85%

Australians want more media reporting on how government is regulating AI

A further 79% want more coverage of how AI is going to affect society.

84%

Australians would trust AI more if developers were liable for catastrophic harms

Making developers of large AI models liable for catastrophic harms caused by their models.

83%

Australians think AI regulation is falling behind the technology

Only 13% think regulation is keeping pace with AI development, and just 5% think it is running ahead.

83%

Australians more willing to trust AI systems adhering to international standards

Strong trust dividing from building international standards

80%

Australians back a 10-year delay to advanced AI to cut catastrophic risk

Asked whether a delay would be worthwhile if it reduced catastrophic risk from 5% to 0.5%. Even a 50-year delay drew majority support (57%).

80%

Australians think preventing AI-driven extinction should be a global priority

Majority view AI existential risk as critical global challenge requiring urgent action

77%

Australians do not trust tech companies to ensure their AI is safe

Only 2% trust technology companies "a great deal" to ensure the AI they develop is safe. Australia is among the least trusting countries surveyed.

74%

Australians worry the government will not regulate AI enough

When forced to choose, only 26% are more concerned that the government will go too far regulating AI.

72%

Australians want government to prioritise managing AI risks over innovation

When forced to choose between managing risks from AI and driving innovation from AI, 72% chose risk management.

64%

Australians fear the loss of personal or societal control due to the rise of AI

63%

Australians are worried about AI causing widespread job loss

21% are very worried and 42% fairly worried that AI will lead to widespread unemployment.

58%

Australians are worried humans will lose control of AI

19% are very worried and 39% fairly worried that humans will lose control of AI.

57%

Australians support an international treaty banning smarter-than-human AI

Majority support for a global ban on developing artificial superintelligence, a stated goal of several frontier AI companies.

51%

Australians reject a 1% chance of global catastrophe even for radical benefits

25%

Australian AI Safety Statistics

Understanding Australian Opinion on AI Safety

Filter & Search Statistics

Australians are concerned about generative AI

Australians expect AI safety standards at least as strict as commercial aviation

Australians believe Australia should lead international AI governance

Experts found current Australian laws inadequate for managing AI loss of control risks

Australians would trust AI more with a right to human review of AI decisions

Australians would trust AI more with an Australian AI Safety Institute

Australians would trust AI more with annual independent safety audits

Australians would trust AI more with mandatory safety incident reporting

Australians want government to prioritise preventing loss of human control over AI

Australians would trust AI more with emergency shutdown capabilities

Australians support the creation of a new government regulatory body for AI

Australians would trust AI more with an Australian AI regulator

Australians want more media reporting on how government is regulating AI

Australians would trust AI more if developers were liable for catastrophic harms

Australians think AI regulation is falling behind the technology

Australians more willing to trust AI systems adhering to international standards

Australians back a 10-year delay to advanced AI to cut catastrophic risk

Australians think preventing AI-driven extinction should be a global priority

Australians do not trust tech companies to ensure their AI is safe

Australians worry the government will not regulate AI enough

Australians want government to prioritise managing AI risks over innovation

Australians fear the loss of personal or societal control due to the rise of AI

Australians are worried about AI causing widespread job loss

Australians are worried humans will lose control of AI

Australians support an international treaty banning smarter-than-human AI

Australians reject a 1% chance of global catastrophe even for radical benefits

Australians believe AI presents a risk of human extinction in the next twenty years

About This Data

Data Sources

Key Findings

Filter & Search Statistics

Australians are concerned about generative AI

Australians expect AI safety standards at least as strict as commercial aviation

Australians believe Australia should lead international AI governance

Experts found current Australian laws inadequate for managing AI loss of control risks

Australians would trust AI more with a right to human review of AI decisions

Australians would trust AI more with an Australian AI Safety Institute

Australians would trust AI more with annual independent safety audits

Australians would trust AI more with mandatory safety incident reporting

Australians want government to prioritise preventing loss of human control over AI

Australians would trust AI more with emergency shutdown capabilities

Australians support the creation of a new government regulatory body for AI

Australians would trust AI more with an Australian AI regulator

Australians want more media reporting on how government is regulating AI

Australians would trust AI more if developers were liable for catastrophic harms

Australians think AI regulation is falling behind the technology

Australians more willing to trust AI systems adhering to international standards

Australians back a 10-year delay to advanced AI to cut catastrophic risk

Australians think preventing AI-driven extinction should be a global priority

Australians do not trust tech companies to ensure their AI is safe

Australians worry the government will not regulate AI enough

Australians want government to prioritise managing AI risks over innovation

Australians fear the loss of personal or societal control due to the rise of AI

Australians are worried about AI causing widespread job loss

Australians are worried humans will lose control of AI

Australians support an international treaty banning smarter-than-human AI

Australians reject a 1% chance of global catastrophe even for radical benefits

Australians believe AI presents a risk of human extinction in the next twenty years