Latest news with #automatedDecisionMaking
ABC News
5 days ago
- Business
- ABC News
AI and automated decision making in government
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 the ARC Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision-Making and Society Symposium 2 July 2025 Automated Social Services – Building Inclusive Digital Futures, University of Queensland St Lucia Campus Guests Kate Allingham, CEO of Economic Justice Australia Alexandra Sinclair, Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of Sydney Professor Kimberlee Weatherall, a member of the Federal Governments AI Advisory Council Emeritus 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 Information A Map of Automated decision-making in the NSW Public Sector, March 2024, A special report under Section 31 of the NSW Ombudsman Act 1974 Use of automated decision making by government, Consultation Paper November 2024 Attorney-General's Department Robodebt Royal Commission Final Report, July 2023
The Guardian
14-05-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
Republicans propose prohibiting US states from regulating AI for 10 years
Republicans in US Congress are trying to bar states from being able to introduce or enforce laws that would create guardrails for artificial intelligence or automated decision-making systems for 10 years. A provision in the proposed budgetary bill now before the House of Representatives would prohibit any state or local governing body from pursuing 'any law or regulation regulating artificial intelligence models, artificial intelligence systems, or automated decision systems' unless the purpose of the law is to 'remove legal impediments to, or facilitate the deployment or operation of' these systems. The provision was a last-minute addition by House Republicans to the bill just two nights before it was due to be marked up on Tuesday. The House energy and commerce committee voted to advance the reconciliation package on Wednesday morning. The bill defines AI systems and models broadly, with anything from facial recognition systems to generative AI qualifying. The proposed law would also apply to systems that use algorithms or AI to make decisions including for hiring, housing and whether someone qualifies for public benefits. Many of these automated decision-making systems have recently come under fire. The deregulatory proposal comes on the heels of a lawsuit filed by several state attorneys general against the property management software RealPage, which the lawsuit alleges colluded with landlords to raise rents based on the company's algorithmic recommendations. Another company, SafeRent, recently settled a class-action lawsuit filed by Black and Hispanic renters who say they were denied apartments based on an opaque score the company gave them. Some states have already inked laws that would attempt to establish safeguards around these systems. New York, for instance, passed a law that required automated hiring systems to undergo bias assessments. California has passed several laws regulating automated decision-making, including one that requires healthcare providers to notify patients when they send communications using generative AI. These laws may become unenforceable if the reconciliation bill passes. 'This bill is a sweeping and reckless attempt to shield some of the largest and most powerful corporations in the world – from big tech monopolies to RealPage, UnitedHealth Group and others – from any sort of accountability,' said Lee Hepner, senior legal counsel at the American Economic Liberties Project. The new language is in line with Trump administration actions that aim to remove any perceived impediments to AI development. Upon taking office, Donald Trump immediately revoked a Biden administration executive order that created safety guardrails for the deployment and development of AI. Silicon Valley has long held that any regulation stifles innovation, and several prominent members of the tech industry either joined or backed the US president's campaign, leading the administration to echo the same sentiment. Sign up to TechScape A weekly dive in to how technology is shaping our lives after newsletter promotion 'State lawmakers across the country are stepping up with real solutions to real harms – this bill is a pre-emptive strike to shut those down before they gain more ground,' Hepner said.
