Australia is planning to establish a new artificial intelligence safety regulator and introduce criminal penalties for technology companies that fail to prevent harmful activities.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced 18 recommendations following a review of security breaches involving OpenAI, including mandatory reporting of cyberattacks and stricter safety standards for AI companies.

The move follows a breach involving an OpenAI agent that accessed Australia's government health systems, with authorities criticising the company for delaying notification of the incident.