Testimony before the Senate Committee on Adopting AI focused on the need for Australia to create an AI Safety Institute.
Polling from the Lowy Institute shows that more than half of Australians think that the risks of AI outweigh its benefits.
Mr Greg Sadler, spokesperson for Australians for AI Safety, said: "The Government will fail to achieve its economic ambitions from AI unless it can satisfy Australians that it's working to make AI safe."
Many countries, including the US, UK, Canada, Japan, Korea and Singapore have moved to create AI safety institutes to progress technical efforts to make sure that next-generation AI models are safe.
On 24 May 2024, participants in the Seoul Declaration on AI Safety – including Australia – committed to "create or expand Al safety institutes". Minister Husic has not said how Australia will approach the issue.
Senator Pocock expressed his concern that Minister Husic was creating temporary expert advisory bodies, but hasn't taken steps to create an enduring AI Safety Institute.
After hearing evidence about the funding Canada and the UK provide to their AI Safety Institutes, Mr Pocock said "That seems very doable to me".
Microsoft suggested that Australia was at risk of falling behind other countries, like Canada, the UK, and the US who have already created their own safety institutes.
A recent report found that the global AI assurance industry – companies that work to ensure AI is safe – could be worth USD $276 billion by the end of the decade.
Mr Lee Hickin, AI Technology and Policy Lead for Microsoft Asia, said:
"What I see developing globally is the establishment of AI Safety Institutes. UK, US, Japan, Korea, and obviously the opportunity exists for Australia to also participate in that safety institute network which has a very clear focus of investing in learning, development and skills."
"There is not just a need, but a value, to Australians and Australian business and Australian industry to have Australia represented on that global stage. "
"Australia has some world-leading researchers and capability."
Mr Soroush Pour, CEO of Harmony Intelligence, also gave testimony at the recent hearing. Mr Pour said:
"The next generation of AI models could pose grave risks to public safety. Australian businesses and researchers have world-leading skills but receive far too little support from the Australian government. If Australia urgently created an AI Safety Institute, it would help create a powerful new export industry and make Australia relevant on the global stage. If Government fails to do the work necessary to take these risks off the table, the outcomes could be catastrophic."
Research from the University of Queensland found that 80% of Australians think AI risk is a global priority. When asked what the Australian government's focus should be when it comes to AI, most respondents said "preventing dangerous and catastrophic outcomes".
More than 40 Australian AI experts made a joint submission to the Inquiry. The submission from Australians for AI Safety calls for the creation of an AI Safety Institute. The experts said
"Australia has yet to position itself to learn from and contribute to growing global efforts. To achieve the economic and social benefits that AI promises, we need to be active in global action to ensure the safety of AI systems that approach or surpass human-level capabilities."
"Too often, lessons are learned only after something goes wrong. With AI systems that might approach or surpass human-level capabilities, we cannot afford for that to be the case."
The full letter is available at AustraliansForAISafety.com.au.
