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Lawmakers must balance risk of AI against opportunity, MP says
The federal government’s role is to shield the Australian public from the dangers of AI while not restricting the potential for AI to deliver positive and profound improvements in living standards, according to the Assistant Minister to the Attorney-General.
Jerome Doraisamy
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In remarks delivered to the 2024 Australian Lawyers Alliance National Conference last week in Fremantle, Patrick Gorman MP – who serves as the Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister, Assistant Minister to the Attorney-General, and Assistant Minister for the Public Service – reflected that artificial intelligence (AI) is “no longer the stuff of science fiction”.
“It is here, and it is already embedding itself into our daily lives,” he said.
“Australians are already using AI in the workplace. Teachers are now providing students with personalised AI chatbots to help provide additional tutoring to students needing support. AI is assisting medical doctors to scan vast data sets and gather medical insights that were previously not possible. And, of course, AI is also impacting the legal sector.”
“Recent surveys suggest that a majority of lawyers are already using AI in their work. They are also optimistic [about] the potential for AI to bring significant innovation to the sector. AI tools are being developed to assist lawyers with document review, legal research and more.”
To this end – and given the pace of change – the government’s regulatory approach must also be engaged with such evolution.
It is the role of lawmakers, Gorman espoused, “to balance risk with opportunity. To shield the Australian public from the dangers of AI while not restricting the potential for AI to deliver positive and profound improvements in living standards.”
“Australians are looking for leadership on how best to protect themselves from potential harms. When conducting law reform, we must keep front of mind the rights and needs of those who are most subject to vulnerability. To make sure those who are most disadvantaged are not put to further disadvantage,” he said.
“Some legislation is developed for specific technologies, like gene technologies or nuclear technologies. Other legislation is crafted to be technology-neutral. The Australian government is continually working to ensure that our robust system of existing legislative frameworks is fit for purpose. Capable of responding to harms, including harms enabled by AI.”
Australians know, Gorman went on, that the regulation of AI is a challenging issue.
“They recognise the potential dangers and benefits and the importance of getting it right. Where the community has expectations, law reform must respond to and uphold those community expectations,” he said.
“The laws of Australia are ultimately a mirror held up to our society. Our laws must reflect those expectations and beliefs of the collection of diverse individuals that make up this country.”
The remarks follow reporting from Lawyers Weekly last month, noting that Australia will do well to maintain a “careful and cautious” approach when it comes to the regulation of artificial intelligence, legal experts say – an approach that must be replicated when dealing with clients.
Jerome Doraisamy
Jerome Doraisamy is the editor of Lawyers Weekly. A former lawyer, he has worked at Momentum Media as a journalist on Lawyers Weekly since February 2018, and has served as editor since March 2022. He is also the host of all five shows under The Lawyers Weekly Podcast Network, and has overseen the brand's audio medium growth from 4,000 downloads per month to over 60,000 downloads per month, making The Lawyers Weekly Show the most popular industry-specific podcast in Australia. Jerome is also the author of The Wellness Doctrines book series, an admitted solicitor in NSW, and a board director of Minds Count.
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