NSW government staff joked about AI apocalypse after OpenAI Sydney office announcement

Staffers in the office of NSW Technology Minister Anoulack Chanthivong debated how to frame media comments about OpenAI opening its first Australian office in Sydney. Initially, the planned statement expressed the government's "absolutely thrilled" welcome to the artificial intelligence giant, which opened its Sydney office in December after announcing it in August last year.

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I’m still convinced we’re headed for a Skynet situation in the next 5 years so don’t want to be on record endorsing any ‘golden era’.

However, the phrase "absolutely thrilled" was removed following internal discussions. One staffer joked about the potential for a "Skynet situation" within five years, referencing the fictional AI from the Terminator films that becomes sentient and causes global destruction. Another staffer responded by suggesting they would use "golden era" next time, to which the first replied, "I'm still convinced we're headed for a Skynet situation in the next 5 years so don't want to be on record endorsing any ‘golden era’."

Despite the lighthearted internal exchange, the documents revealed the government's strong efforts to attract OpenAI to NSW. In a June meeting, Minister Chanthivong highlighted Sydney as the premier startup location in the southern hemisphere, attracting 65% of Australia's venture capital and hosting major tech companies. He also emphasized that Sydney is home to the Australian headquarters of global tech giants like Google, Microsoft, Meta, AWS, and IBM, noting that 45% of Australia's AI businesses are located in NSW.

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NSW is home to Australia’s Al ecosystem. 45% of all Al businesses in Australia are in NSW.

A spokesperson for the NSW government stated their commitment to embracing AI opportunities while ensuring responsible use in the public interest. The state government is developing a strategy for datacentre development to support the AI sector, though its release date is unannounced. The environment minister expressed confidence in Sydney's desirability as a location, despite questions about NSW falling behind other states in AI investment.

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committed to embracing AI opportunities while ensuring emerging technologies are used responsibly and in the public interest