Australia’s Prime Minister has established a new national office dedicated to Artificial Intelligence, responding to growing discussions surrounding the technology’s rapid development. This move comes amidst warnings from experts regarding potential job displacement and the substantial energy demands of data centres powering AI. Simultaneously, hundreds of thousands of university students are facing increased fees under new policy changes. The government aims to navigate the opportunities and challenges presented by AI while addressing affordability within the higher education sector. Details on the AI office’s specific functions and funding remain to be released. The fee hikes are expected to impact a wide range of courses, prompting debate about access to education. These parallel developments signal a significant shift in Australia's approach to both technology and tertiary studies.