Government issues AI guidelines

Detailed summary

The federal government released its draft voluntary guidelines for adopting AI on Thursday, which urged businesses to keep workers onside.

The federal government released its draft voluntary guidelines for adopting AI on Thursday, which urged businesses to keep workers onside.

“While current research indicates that AI is much more likely to augment roles rather than automate them in the medium term, we understand some roles may be automated,” Employment Minister Amanda Rishworth said in an AI forum speech on Thursday (The Canberra Times).

“Businesses should look at how they can continue to make the most of their existing workers’ skills and experience,” she said (The Canberra Times).

The government’s guidelines further cautioned that younger, older and First Nations workers, along with women and people with a disability face “disproportionate impacts” from increased implementation of the policy (The Guardian).

The guide stresses that while it does “not create or expand legal obligations”, unions are expected to use its recommendations as benchmarks in industrial disputes (AFR).

As Rishworth launched the draft guidelines, fellow Labor MP Ed Husic questioned who would truly benefit from the AI revolution. He said: “Does it mean better services and lower prices for customers, secure jobs with higher wages for workers, or just lower labour costs and higher returns?” (The Guardian)

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