Australia will tighten oversight of artificial intelligence in automated government decision-making and strengthen privacy safeguards as part of a broader push to allay concerns about the technology’s risks to community safety.
A new list of AI consumer priorities published by the government on Sunday includes a promise to “better regulate” the use of AI in federal agencies like Centrelink and Services Australia, and revisit personal data protection laws.
Pressure has been building on the government to commit to human intervention in the administration of government schemes, particularly in social services, balanced with a desire to use emerging technology to boost productivity.
In May, Employment Minister Amanda Rishworth said humans would remain involved in the Jobseeker payment process as she announced an overhaul of the unemployment system.
Last year, the Commonwealth Ombudsman found almost a thousand jobseekers had their income support payments unlawfully terminated via automatic cancellations.
The government has also faced scrutiny over automated elements of the aged care home support program, as well as a planning tool in the National Disability Insurance Scheme that generates budgets for participants.
Earlier this year the ombudsman opened an investigation into the algorithm-based aged care assessment tool.
Echo of privacy legislation in consumer protection priority
The government has also committed to reconsider protections for consumers and singled out retail surveillance pricing, the practice of farming data to set different prices for individual consumers based on behaviour, as a priority issue.
In its first term, the government legislated a tranche of strengthened privacy protections for consumers but could not find support for a crackdown on advertising.
Under the reforms proposed in 2024, Australians would have had the right to opt out of targeted advertising, including restrictions on the use of sensitive information.
The ‘Consumer Protections’ priority included in the AI list includes a promise to “examine options” in consumer law, led by Assistant Minister for Competition Andrew Leigh.
AI to dominate Labor conference
AI is expected to dominate debate at the National Labor Conference in Adelaide later this week, with a particular focus on workers’ rights.
Delegates, parliamentarians and union leaders have until Wednesday to seek amendments to Labor’s AI policy platform before a vote.
A draft of the policy platform indicates there will be a focus on the impact of AI across the economy, including jobs, and a commitment to hold AI companies accountable to Australian “values and laws.”
It said there must be “transparency, accountability and fairness” for potential harms the models produce.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has previously said workers should recognise that “artificial intelligence is happening.”
“Change is happening, and they have an interest in shaping that change because if not, then they don’t get a say,” he said.
The prime minister has also vowed not to let AI companies train their models using Australian books, music, art or music without compensation.
By 
Happypal