Australia Lagging Behind in AI Regulation, Warn Experts

Australia Lagging Behind in AI Regulation, Warn Experts

Albanese Government Yet to Respond to AI Safety Inquiry

As the Australian government contemplates its next steps following the Bletchley declaration in the UK, experts caution that Australia is falling behind in terms of both funding and regulation for artificial intelligence (AI).

Australia joined 28 other countries and the European Union in signing a declaration acknowledging the catastrophic risks posed by AI and the importance of its safe and responsible development. This landmark declaration followed closely on the heels of the Biden administration's executive order in the United States, which mandated that companies like OpenAI and Google must share their safety test results with the government before releasing AI models.

The Albanese government initiated an inquiry this year to investigate the regulatory requirements necessary to ensure the safe development of AI. This inquiry also examined the relevance of existing legislation and considered the need for new laws in this rapidly evolving field.

The inquiry received a total of 510 submissions, including input from industry giants such as Meta, Google, Amazon Web Services, OpenAI, and Microsoft. Additionally, it garnered insights from various sectors directly impacted by AI, including legal firms, healthcare organizations, business associations, banks, supermarkets, and entertainment companies in film, music, and television.

Despite the wealth of information and feedback provided through these submissions, the government has yet to announce any response. During an appearance on the ABC's AM program, Industry Minister Ed Husic declined to provide a specific timeline for presenting legislation to parliament.

Husic stated, "We're currently in the process of working through [the inquiry], and the summit itself allows us to consider various pathways and collaboration strategies. We aim to complete this process in the near future. The summit's discussions, particularly concerning local AI safety testing, will be considered as we move forward."