Amid growing concerns about the rapid development and potential risks of artificial intelligence (AI), some experts are calling for a fundamentally different approach to its control and accessibility. Barry York of O’Connor, ACT, emphasizes that the core issue is political: determining who controls AI and who ultimately benefits from it.

York argues that both AI technology and the knowledge that underpins it should be treated as global public resources. He envisions AI used primarily to expand education, advance scientific research, reduce repetitive labor, and improve overall human well-being, rather than simply serving corporate profit motives, government surveillance, or military ambitions.

A key proposal put forward is the creation of a global public digital library, granting universal access to a vast repository of humanity’s accumulated knowledge—including books, academic research, newspapers, music, films, and other cultural content. This library would be carefully organized and universally accessible, serving as a foundational resource for AI development.

Currently, much of this knowledge remains restricted behind paywalls, copyright protections, and proprietary platforms. Corporations often employ this content to train lucrative AI models, which are then sold back to consumers. A globally accessible digital library, York suggests, could underpin publicly funded and genuinely open AI systems that are free from corporate or state control.

To address concerns about the rights of content creators, York proposes an international compensation scheme. Governments and AI companies could be jointly responsible for funding this system through levies, ensuring that writers, researchers, artists, and publishers receive fair payment. This idea builds upon existing frameworks such as Australia’s public lending right, which compensates authors when their works are borrowed from public libraries.

Such a model could offer a democratic alternative to AI systems predominantly controlled by large American tech corporations or state-run initiatives in countries like China. York suggests that middle powers, including Australia, could collaborate to develop and govern this global digital resource, fostering a more equitable and transparent AI ecosystem.