HTI welcomes plan for Australian AI Safety Institute

Many countries at the forefront of AI development and diffusion – including the United Kingdom, the United States and Japan – have created institutes that address AI risks.

The announcement of an Australian AI Safety Institute by Minister Tim Ayres and Assistant Minister Andrew Charlton confirms Australia’s 2024 commitment to join the International Network of AI Safety Institutes.

“An Australian AI Safety Institute will play a key role in protecting Australians from AI systems that cause harm,” said Professor Edward Santow, UTS Human Technology Institute (HTI) Co-Director and Australia’s former Human Rights Commissioner.

“Compared with other countries, Australians have among the lowest levels of trust in AI. While many Australians feel optimistic about how this technology can help them at work and beyond, they have also seen how AI can be used in scams, deepfakes and in other ways that harm our privacy and consumer rights. Establishing the Institute is an important opportunity for the Government to act on these community concerns.

“The creation of the Institute will be vital in making available technical expertise for government policy makers, regulators and the government agencies rolling out new AI tools. A key lesson from Robodebt is that government should be at the forefront of developing and overseeing trustworthy technology,” Professor Santow said.

“In addition, the vast majority of Australian businesses want to use AI safely and responsibly. Uncertainty about how to achieve this has discouraged many companies from investing in this transformative new technology. By giving practical guidance to the private sector, the Institute can give companies confidence to make wise investments in adopting AI,” said Professor Nicholas Davis, HTI Co-Director.

“In designing the new Institute, the Government must bring both technical and practical expertise, drawing especially on the experience of people most at risk from AI systems that go wrong. Ultimately, the Institute will be judged on how effectively it collaborates with government, industry and civil society, while always remaining independent from vested interests,” Professor Davis said.

The UTS Human Technology Institute is at the forefront of driving the regulatory, governance and technical change needed to allow the benefits of digital technologies to be delivered in a way that upholds human rights.