Ethical AI networks: the missing governance piece

Abstract

In late 2019, after a period of public consultation, the Australian government released its ‘Ethical Artificial Intelligence (AI) Framework’. This advanced eight entirely voluntary principles to ‘encourage organisations using AI systems to strive for the best outcomes for Australia and Australians’. The summary of consultation inputs records the position that law and regulation have only a ‘supplementary’ role to play in governing socially responsible AI and that new regulation should only be considered where failure by the ‘market’ to give effect to the Framework’s values showed up ‘clear gaps’ for intervention. This was not the government’s own formal position as such, but in effect its AI governance strategy is based on this approach. Show more