Shaping the future of AI for Australia
I have published an AI Discussion Paper, with 18 policy recommendations to keep Australians safe, capture the opportunities and share the benefits of AI.
This is a Discussion Paper. I welcome feedback and ideas from everyone. Please provide me with your feedback on my AI Discussion Paper and your ideas on AI policy.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is already reshaping economies, labour markets and the information environment. Its ultimate trajectory remains uncertain, but the scale of potential change is comparable to the industrial revolution. The decisions being made right now will shape what that change looks like for Australians.
Australia has done remarkably little to prepare. The Australian Government has identified broad aims for AI policy but has implemented very little actual policy to achieve them. This reflects the genuine uncertainty around AI’s future development – no one knows exactly how powerful AI will become, or how quickly. Perhaps the current wave of excitement will ultimately produce little more than a generation of very effective chatbots. But most think the implications could be far larger. Uncertainty is not a reason for inaction. It is precisely why governments must begin preparing now. A passive, hands-off approach does not mean Australia avoids the consequences of AI – it means our future is being determined by overseas technology companies and the billionaires who run them. The Australian Government is effectively hoping that the AI models developed overseas will increase productivity and deliver other benefits without causing major societal disruption. It is doing little to make that outcome more likely and little to cushion Australians if it does not come true.
In this context, it is no wonder that we are seeing a backlash against AI. Australians are worried that this new industry will steal jobs, supercharge online deepfakes and scams, breach their privacy, and use up energy, land and resources – all for the profit margins of international AI companies. Australians do not have confidence that the benefits will be shared with all Australians, because the government has not put in place any policy to ensure this. The competitive context in which AI is being developed – between companies and countries – makes it feel like a runaway train. But we must also race to govern the technology well, not just to develop it. AI is the only tool ever invented that can make and implement its own decisions. This creates a range of novel risks. Australians expect government to put frameworks in place to keep them safe as we navigate a rapidly changing world.
This paper is an attempt to seize the reins of the AI debate. It asks a simple question: what kind of AI future do we want and what should Australia do now to build it? It presents a set of specific, practical policies that can and should be implemented now to:
- set up the structures;
- capture the opportunities;
- deal with current harms;
- prepare for emerging risks; and
- share the benefits of AI.
For example, this paper contains actionable approaches the government should be taking now on issues that concern Australians, like deepfakes, unhealthy relationships between children and AI chatbots, improving research and productivity, and taxing AI companies so we can all share in the economic benefits.
It is not an exhaustive account of everything governments will eventually need to do as AI develops, but rather a clear set of actions that should not wait. These policies are designed to ensure that Australian voices, not overseas technology companies, are shaping our future.
I would like to thank my constituents in Curtin who completed our community survey, some of whom are quoted in this paper. I would also like to thank the many experts across the country who shared some of their incredible knowledge with me.