A new Parliamentary inquiry will investigate the barriers preventing small and family businesses from effectively using AI technology, as research shows the use of enterprise AI tools is concentrated among the largest firms. Lawmakers on Thursday appointed the Joint Select Committee on Artificial Intelligence, a new body tasked with investigating the opportunities AI poses to the Australian economy. Related Article Block Placeholder Article ID: 342902 South Australia’s royal commission represents a new state of play for AI David Adams Among other subjects, the committee will consider the rate and depth of AI adoption in Australian businesses, with a particular focus on smaller enterprises. Harnessing AI’s economic potential is a priority for the government, as it stares down stalling productivity growth. Policy experts are genuinely optimistic about its potential. Smarter business news. Straight to your inbox. For startup founders, small businesses and leaders. Build sharper instincts and better strategy by learning from Australia’s smartest business minds. Sign up for free. * indicates required Email Address * By continuing, you agree to our Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy. At the recent COSBOA summit, Productivity Commissioner Danielle Wood said properly-harnessed AI could add 4% to the labour productivity rate over the next decade. But ensuring those benefits flow through the economy, instead of pooling among the biggest, most entrenched businesses is a key concern. There is some evidence to suggest the formal use of business-grade AI tools is already more pronounced among the largest firms. A working paper published by OpenAI this month suggests early adoption of enterprise-grade ChatGPT may exacerbate the performance gap between large and small businesses. If larger firms “adopt earlier and are better positioned to integrate the technology into work, generative AI could widen differences in productivity or value creation across firms even when the underlying models are broadly available,” according to the paper. As one of the largest providers of enterprise-grade AI tools in the market, OpenAI has a clear incentive to highlight the benefits of those tools. The actual scale of that opportunity, and the question of whether small businesses are really benefiting, will now be put to the test. Related Article Block Placeholder Article ID: 342686 Restaurants can now send phone orders straight to Square using AI Rebel Wylie “Policymakers have a moral obligation to hammer out a new political and economic settlement that ensures that AI serves all Australians, not just a few,” said Andrew Hastie, Shadow Minister for Industry and Sovereign Capability, in regards to the committee. “Our workers, our businesses, our industry and our kids all need to be considered in the course of this committee’s work.” The broad-reaching committee will also consider sovereign AI opportunities, and the potential for Australia to meaningfully contribute to global AI developments without simply relying on models and platforms developed overseas. Given widespread fears that AI could radically disrupt the jobs market, the committee will consider issues relating to employment, worker displacement, and job security. The risk of advanced AI-powered scams, the technology’s implications for national security, and its interaction with intellectual property rights will also come under consideration. The committee is scheduled to present its final report no later than November 30 this year, a deadline reflecting the rapidly-changing AI environment. Stay in the know Never miss a story: sign up to SmartCompany’s free daily newsletter and find our best stories on LinkedIn.