Despite the federal government’s hopes, Australians are at risk of losing their jobs and being put into unethical situations as the use of artificial intelligence proliferates, experts have warned.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese warned in a speech in mid-July that Australia had limited scope to develop a robust AI framework.
He said he wants jobs to be created, not lost, in a technological transformation he calls more important than the advent of social media.
“Horseless carriage” fixed with bolts
But Ryan Payne, an AI expert at the University of Canberra, said the government’s ideals were unlikely to become reality, and said change was already underway.
“If you think about the big changes in society, even if there was no decline, there was always a change in work,” he says.
Mr Albanese’s speech – which Dr Payne described as a “buzz” – did not clearly outline a system of transparency and accountability to protect workers.
Further information is expected in the coming months following industry consultation.
“When horse-drawn carriages came along, we didn’t need a lot of blacksmiths. It’s an old concept,” Dr. Payne said.
“It’s not clear whether we’re going to lose our jobs, but there’s always this idea that we have to keep improving our job skills…that’s not necessarily realistic.”
He said older workers, especially those nearing retirement, are less likely to take on the high upskilling requirements that leave them behind in their professions.
Dr Payne said Australians under 25 were also struggling to secure professional roles because they were so used to AI that they were seen by employers as lacking critical thinking.
Ethical issues also loomed.
AI job security trap
Australia’s Fair Work and Privacy Act allows AI to change employers if it is not being used ethically (such as collecting personal information to train machines), but Dr Ryan said this did not work in practice.
People in tight job markets or with advanced training, such as academics and doctors, are less likely to change jobs easily and may be trapped in unethical situations.
“There’s a system in place that forces people to accept it because there’s no other alternative, and people have to follow it,” Dr. Payne said, referring to a practice known as compliance systems design.
Job security is likely to be a key topic of discussion at Labor’s annual conference, which begins in Adelaide on Thursday.
AAP
