March 12, 2020
The Group of Eight (Go8) represents Australia’s leading research-intensive universities and plays an integral and leading role in Australia’s essential AI research and planning.
Go8 Chief Executive Vicki Thomson says that “from our position leading a nation’s AI research and global collaborations, the Go8 has been especially keen to see a Standards Roadmap. Such a Roadmap, with its recommendations for political, and especially community discussion, are essential for informed debate on how we embrace an AI future – it is a future the Go8 believes Australia must take, and maintain a strong voice on, and also a leading global research profile in.”
Ms Thomson said that a recent Go8 AI Summit attended by Government, Industry and researchers – and which heard from Standards Australia – illustrated a clear thirst for AI Standards that embody community trust, private and corporate data security, and vitally a community view that AI was an invaluable tool, not a threat to jobs or even liberty.”
The recommendations to drive our participation in international standards setting are especially important. With Australia being as reliant on international developments in AI as on domestic activity, it is essential to ensure that the conditions for how we create, adapt and adopt AI create confidence and clarity for researchers through to consumers.
“The Go8 strongly supports the establishment of conditions as highlighted by the Roadmap that drive AI to being inclusive and fair, secure, based on robust accurate data and decisions that appropriately respect privacy.
“The release today of the ‘AI Standards Roadmap’ is therefore most welcome. The Go8 looks forward to continuing to work cooperatively with Standards Australia in this extremely vital and complex area.
“There is no room for error as Australia moves forward to set AI Standards in place in the national interest, and in every Australian’s interest also.”