Australia is at the early stages of defining how artificial intelligence should shape its economy and society.
by Sam Calabrese, Minderoo Foundation
New national research shows most Australians believe the risks of artificial intelligence currently outweigh the benefits.
Concerns about job security, personal privacy and the potential for AI to supercharge misleading or manipulative content – like deep fakes – sit at the heart of this unease.
But Australians are also hopeful. Many can see the promise of AI to deliver faster medical breakthroughs, expand access to quality education and lift productivity across the economy.
They don’t want to pull the handbrake on innovation, nor do they want a free-for-all. They want a balanced approach, rules that unlock AI’s potential while protecting people from harm.
However, when the balanced option disappears, Australians favour stricter rules over innovation.
Here’s where things get more complicated. While Australians overwhelmingly support a balanced regulatory approach, the research shows that when this middle ground is removed and the choice is between “minimal rules” or “strict rules” only, people swing decisively towards the stricter option, even at the expense of innovation.
This is an important message to policymakers and industry:
At the heart of this tension is trust.
The research also delivers some good news for government. While the public believes government carries the greatest responsibility for managing AI risks, Australians also trust government most to design the balanced rules they want to see.
Clear rules are key, with Australians saying their trust would increase with clear rules addressing universally agreed harms, stronger personal privacy protections and greater transparency about when AI is being used in decisions that affect them.
The Australian government has begun setting the foundations to define the role artificial intelligence will play in Australia.
Recently, the Australian Government released the National AI Plan to guide Australia’s transition to an AI-enabled economy and established the AI Safety Institute to respond to emerging risks and harms. These are important steps in the right direction.
Australians don’t expect government to have all the answers today. They understand AI is moving at such a rapid pace that policymakers will need to engage in regulatory whack-a-mole while also developing the longer-term approach.
But they want leadership, to know there is someone thinking about their interests and ensuring they won’t be left behind as AI continues to accelerate.
By setting clear, responsible rules now that protect people, government can help build the trust needed for AI to thrive – for good.