Kate Chaney (Curtin, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

AI is already reshaping our economy, our labour markets and our information environment. The scale of potential change is enormous, but Australia has done remarkably little to prepare. The government has identified broad goals for AI while implementing very little actual policy to achieve them. In the absence of this leadership, our future is being shaped by overseas tech companies and the billionaires who run them. This is why we're seeing a backlash against AI.

I'm releasing an AI discussion paper. In it, I address one simple question: what should we be doing now to build a future with AI that works for us? The paper contains 18 policy recommendations across five areas, setting up the structures to govern AI, actively capturing the opportunities, dealing with current harms, preparing for emerging risks and sharing the benefits of AI with all Australians. The policy recommendations are practical, no-regrets steps that should be taken now. They deal with issues 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's time to move from talk to action—from being passive to proactive. The risks of AI won't manage themselves, and the benefits won't just magically appear either. This is about shaping a future that works for Australia and Australians, not international tech companies.

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