---
title: "Privacy and FOI and AI: the Commonwealth"
url: "https://ailawframework.com/ai-rules/b9-privacy-cth"
type: "ai_rule"
site: "AI Law Framework"
issuer: "Office of the Australian Information Commissioner"
status: "Government guidance"
jurisdiction: "Commonwealth"
source: "https://www.oaic.gov.au/privacy/privacy-guidance-for-organisations-and-government-agencies/guidance-on-privacy-and-the-use-of-commercially-available-ai-products"
---

# Privacy and FOI and AI: the Commonwealth

> Office of the Australian Information Commissioner, Commonwealth.

Canonical page: https://ailawframework.com/ai-rules/b9-privacy-cth

Site index for agents: https://ailawframework.com/llms.txt

## About this rule

- Issuer: Office of the Australian Information Commissioner
- Type: Government guidance
- Date basis: regime summary checked 10 Oct 2026
- Jurisdiction: [Commonwealth](https://ailawframework.com/jurisdictions/commonwealth.md)

## Summary

Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) + APPs; Privacy and Other Legislation Amendment Act 2024. FOI: Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Cth). Applies to most private-sector entities over A$3m turnover and to all federal agencies; law firms handling client personal information are usually covered. The OAIC has issued guidance on commercial AI products and on training generative AI. The 2024 amendments add automated-decision transparency in privacy policies (from 10 Dec 2026) and a statutory tort for serious invasions of privacy. Checked 2026-10-10.

## Points recorded from the source

- Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) + APPs; Privacy and Other Legislation Amendment Act 2024
- FOI: Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Cth)
- OAIC: Privacy and commercially available AI products — https://www.oaic.gov.au/privacy/privacy-guidance-for-organisations-and-government-agencies/guidance-on-privacy-and-the-use-of-commercially-available-ai-products
- OAIC blog: training GenAI with personal information — https://www.oaic.gov.au/news/blog/can-personal-information-be-used-to-develop-or-train-a-generative-ai-model

## Verify note

Statute names from official sources; how they apply to AI is a summary to verify.

## Source

[Read the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner source](https://www.oaic.gov.au/privacy/privacy-guidance-for-organisations-and-government-agencies/guidance-on-privacy-and-the-use-of-commercially-available-ai-products)

All rules: [AI rules tracker](https://ailawframework.com/ai-rules.md).

*Practice guidance for planning and review. Confirm current primary sources and the requirements of the actual matter. This is general information, not legal advice.*