The Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) has become the first major Australian company to formalise payment for the use of local media content in workplace generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools, signing a landmark copyright agreement with the not-for-profit Copyright Agency. The deal allows CBA’s workforce of over 50,000 employees to incorporate Australian news and published content into AI prompts, summaries, and other workplace applications, with licence fees directed to creators and publishers to support ongoing content production.
CBA’s chief executive, Matt Comyn, described the arrangement as a demonstration of responsible AI adoption, emphasising the importance of respecting copyright while harnessing the benefits of generative AI to enhance productivity and customer service. “This licence gives our people the right to use Australian news content so that they can maximise the benefit of generative AI tools to improve their work and better serve our customers,” Comyn said. He further characterised the deal as an example of how innovation and fair treatment of rights holders can align as organisations adapt to emerging technologies.
The agreement comes amid growing adoption of generative AI in workplaces, with 2025 research by Fiftyfives indicating that 64 per cent of white-collar employees nationwide utilise AI tools in their work. Among these users, nearly half regularly deploy published texts and images as inputs for AI-generated outputs. The use of copyrighted content in such technologies has intensified debate over intellectual property rights, especially given pressure on the Australian government from major AI developers, including Anthropic and OpenAI, to implement opt-out copyright frameworks. These proposals would allow AI companies to harvest online content for training without paying creators.
Media publishers, broadcasters, and editors have strongly opposed these approaches, arguing that relaxing copyright enforcement undermines media organisations and content creators while benefiting large technology firms disproportionately. They are advocating for stricter copyright laws that ensure fair compensation for their work.
Josephine Johnston, chief executive of the Copyright Agency, highlighted the agreement’s recognition of the integral role published content plays in business operations. “Journalism and other published content have extraordinary value to businesses, whether staff are sharing an article with colleagues or using it in a prompt for an AI tool,” Johnston said. “This licence ensures ongoing investment in the creation of that content, whilst providing a simple solution for businesses.”
CBA’s move to secure a media content licence aligns with its expanding local media ventures. The bank operates one of Australia’s largest small-format media networks, distributing content and advertising across more than 2,000 digital screens at its branches nationwide. It also manages the Brighter content ecosystem—a portfolio of physical and digital magazines, television programming, and digital channels offering financial information and lifestyle content. Production and content sales for Brighter and CommBank Connect are handled by Medium Rare Content Agency, owned by News Corp, which also owns The Australian newspaper.
The agreement underscores ongoing tensions in Australia’s media landscape, as local publishers seek more robust copyright protections and increased advertiser support amid rising investments in foreign-owned technology platforms at the expense of domestic media companies.