AI and Automated Decision Making in Government
ABC News
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Details
- Date Published
- 7 July 2025
- Priority Score
- 4
- Australian
- Yes
- Created
- 13 July 2025, 01:15 pm
Description
Robodebt has shown that relying on automated decision making tools can be disastrous. What checks and balances could be developed to guide the safe and ethical use of AI in government operations, policy making and service delivery?
Summary
The article explores the risks and benefits of using AI and automated decision-making tools within government operations, with a focus on preventing significant harms such as the Robodebt scandal. It highlights the necessity for robust checks and balances to ensure AI systems are deployed safely and ethically in policy-making and service delivery. Through discussions from the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision-Making and Society's symposium, it examines potential frameworks to govern AI use in public services. The content is particularly relevant to Australian AI safety policy, as it considers national regulatory measures in response to prior governance failures that resulted in widespread harm.
Body
Robodebt has shown that relying on automated decision making tools can be disastrous. And there are other examples where AI has had terrible consequences. But there is no doubt that there are some efficiencies and positives to its use. What checks and balances could be developed to guide the safe and ethical use of AI in government operations, policy making and service delivery?A panel focus on practical outcomes at the recent Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision-Making and Society's annual symposium hosted by Damien Carrick.This program is edited highlights from theARC Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision-Making and SocietySymposium 2 July 2025Automated Social Services – Building Inclusive Digital Futures, University of Queensland St Lucia CampusGuestsKate Allingham,CEO of Economic Justice AustraliaAlexandra Sinclair,Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of SydneyProfessor Kimberlee Weatherall,former expert advisor on AI to the Federal GovernmentEmeritus Law Professor Terry Carney,University of Sydney, former member of the AAT and who played a very significant role is alerting Australia to the robodebt disaster.Further InformationA Map of Automated decision-making in the NSW Public Sector, March 2024, A special report under Section 31 of the NSW Ombudsman Act 1974Use of automated decision making by government, Consultation PaperNovember 2024 Attorney-General's DepartmentRobodebt Royal Commission Final Report, July 2023CreditsDamien Carrick, PresenterAnita Barraud, ProducerTim Symonds, Sound EngineerImage DetailsWhat checks and balances are needed when government departments use AI and automated decision making?(Pusteflower9024 Getty Images)Program:More fromLaw ReportAdministrative Law,Social Policy,Information Technology Industry,Information and Communication,Healthcare and Community Services Industry