According to Reuters, Australian officials said today that they are planning to strengthen the supervision of artificial intelligence due to concerns about the misuse of the technology, including a possible ban on deep fakes and fake content that seems too real.
The plan follows a high-level meeting of U.S. and European Union officials on AI regulation earlier this week, when executives and experts, including OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, warned that AI could It will bring “extinction risk” to human beings.
Australia’s Industry and Science Minister Ed Husic told ABC television: “It’s a clear indication that society is clearly already concerned about whether the technology is getting too far ahead.”
AI-generated content could be misused in parliamentary policy consultations by distributing it in large numbers to mislead public opinion, according to a report released by Australia’s National Science and Technology Council on Thursday.
Husic emphasized that governments have a clear role to play in identifying risks and enforcing restrictions. Australia was one of the first countries to introduce regulation on AI, publishing a voluntary framework of conduct in 2018.
Husic acknowledged that existing regulations still have gaps in copyright, privacy and consumer protection, and said the government wants to make sure new regulations are fit for purpose given the rapid pace of the AI industry.
The European Parliament was close to passing a law regulating AI last month, which may be the world’s first comprehensive AI regulation law and become a reference precedent for developed economies.
Husic also said Australia would also consider direct legislation banning high-risk elements of AI technology if there was strong demand for regulation during the public consultation period for the development of new laws.
