Australia tells big tech AI and data centre investment come with rules – ARN - EUROPE SAYS
The Australian Computer Society (ACS) said the move would position Australia as the first country to bring the economic, social, national security and environmental implications of AI together under a single. . .
The Australian Computer Society (ACS) said the move would position Australia as the first country to bring the economic, social, national security and environmental implications of AI together under a single national frameworkACS CEO Dr Prins Ralston said ACS was ready to support the new office with its expertise in workforce capability, professional standards, skills recognition, and digital sovereignty. “ACS hopes the Office of AI will provide the coordination needed to connect policy, standards, workforce planning, and implementation across government and industry. “In the age of AI, we need to go beyond raw technical ability and ensure those skills are applied responsibly, ethically, and with sound professional judgement. “Like cyber security, AI is an area where nationally consistent professional recognition helps us ensure powerful digital technology works for us, and not the other way around. ”For service providers like Logicalis the establishment of Australia’s Office of AI is a welcome step towards creating the national leadership and policy framework needed to support responsible AI adoption. Clear policy, governance and standards will be critical in giving organisations the confidence to invest, innovate and protect sensitive data. “However, policy alone won’t improve Australia’s productivity or global competitiveness. Success will ultimately be measured by how effectively government, industry and technology partners work together to accelerate AI adoption across the economy,” said Logicalis A/NZ general managerLisa Fortey. “At Logicalis, we believe data sovereignty, security andresponsible AImust underpin every deployment, while continued investment in today’s workforce and the next generation oftechnology talentwill ensure Australia is well positioned to realise the full potential of AI. ”Dr Ralston however points to a broader reality that AI sovereignty is not only a question of skills and governance, but also of the physical infrastructure that powers the technology. That includes legislated standards for AI, as well as clear rules for the development of large data centres. “Data centres that expand Australia’s capacity are good for the economy and for Australia’s strategic position in the Indo-Pacific. But this infrastructure will only ever be as sovereign as the professional workforce that designs, operates, secures, and governs it. ”Australia’s struggle to define its sovereign digital future is increasingly playing out at the state level with an ongoingNSW parliamentary inquiry into data centres. Previously, ARN reported the NSW Legislative Council’s ongoing inquiry into data centres, which launched in January to examine the sector’s rapid growth and its impact oninfrastructure, energy and local communities. The inquiry has since evolved into a broader debate over the country’s sovereign digital future, with witnesses from the 2 July hearing arguing that data centres should not simply be viewed as large power consumers. On 22 May, representatives from government utility provider Sydney Water said rapid growth must be managed in a way that protects long-term water security. Sydney Water managing director Darren Cleary reaffirmed to the inquiry the utility’s previously published forecast that data centres could account for up to 25 per cent of Sydney’s drinking water demand over the next decade if all proposed projects proceed over the next decade.