SCIMEX comments made on 6th Nov 2023. The full quote is here: SCIMEX
Australia ‘at the back of the pack’ in regulating AI, experts warn
The Guardian, Josh Taylor, 7th Nov 2023 (and other various outlets across the UK).
Australia lags behind in AI regulation, study says
Keiji100 and ChinaZ.com , 7th Nov 2023
Australia is “on the cutting edge” of AI regulation, experts warn | Artificial intelligence (AI)
Espanol News, 7th Nov 2023
The full comment published on SCIMEX:
Rebecca L. Johnson is a PhD Researcher in the Ethics of Generative AI at The University of Sydney
“AI helped lift John Lennon’s voice from backing piano music of a 1970s recording to create a new Beatles song “Now and Then”; the same week brought us two important AI governance documents. In the US, the Biden administration released an “Executive Order on the safe, secure, and trustworthy development of AI”. In contrast, the UK’s “Bletchley Declaration” under Sunak’s direction took a different route. Who Australia decides to follow will impact our future AI governance.
Whilst both documents seek to ensure a better AI-enabled world, their approaches couldn’t be more different. The US’s approach is comprehensive and nuanced, reflecting diverse AI-experts’ perspectives: it exhibits a strong focus on human-centric principles, recognising AI as a deeply human-centric issue with wide-reaching socio-political implications. Meanwhile, the UK’s stance is steeped in existential risk rhetoric, seemingly echoing the concerns of a particular faction frequently labelled the AI-Safety community, which tends to concentrate on the long-term implications of potential artificial general intelligence.
These documents echo the AI research community’s polarities: the immediate effects (“the Now”) and the potential future risks (“the Then”).
Australia’s choice in AI governance mirrors the task of isolating Lennon’s voice from its piano backdrop—distinguishing immediate human-centric concerns from the distant hum of existential risks. We stand at a juncture: to tune into the ‘Now’ with the US’s inclusive approach or to anticipate the ‘Then’ through the UK’s speculative lens.
Scorecard:
The US Exec Order – 4 out of 5 stars
The Bletchley Declaration – 2 out of 5 stars
Now and Then – 4.5 out of 5 stars”