Labor to lift lid on algorithms

A Shorten Labor government would investigate the tech giants’ secretive algorithms, after a key motion passed at the party’s national conference.

Ed Husic

A Shorten Labor government would investigate the tech giants’ secretive algorithms, with the party revealing key aspects of its technology agenda should it wins next year’s federal election.

The ACCC last week flagged a review into Google and Facebook’s well-guarded algorithms, and now Labor has followed suit. The party used its national conference in Adelaide to pass a motion that AI technology needs to be safe, trustworthy and under the ultimate control of human decision-makers.

The motion, which passed on Monday, said a Labor government would implement reporting mechanisms to “help track how privately devised and managed algorithms impact on the income and prices generated on digital platforms, including ride sharing and food delivery, to help prevent exploitation and worsening inequality.”

Other measures passed include the establishment of a National Centre of AI Excellence, a review of the use of algorithms and artificial intelligence in government, and government support for start-ups focused on using algorithms and artificial intelligence for maximising employment and positive social impact.

“Our national conference has agreed to lift transparency around the operation of algorithms that are used on digital platforms, initially in ride sharing and food delivery operations,” Labor’s spokesman for digital innovation and start-ups Ed Husic told The Australian.

“We’re sending a strong signal that tech advancement should genuinely help improve lives of the many, not just benefit the few.”

Mr Husic added that applied properly, AI has the potential drive economic growth and deliver social good.

“But at the moment Australia is lagging on AI investment, trailing many nations — especially those in our region,” he said.

“Labor wants to sharpen the focus on AI application in Australia — it’s why we’ve pushed for the establishment of a National Centre of AI Excellence to help develop ethical AI frameworks and usher in the nation’s first AI industry accelerator.

“But we also want to make sure people don’t use this tech in a way that worsens income inequality.”

Mr Husic made a speech to the Asia Pacific AI for Social Good conference in Bangkok last week, in which he said the government’s $30 million investment to support the development of AI in Australia was not enough.

“There’s little doubt we need governments to get serious about the scale of investment required to ensure Australia can reap the most it can from AI application,” he told the conference.

“I’m concerned that Australia is being outpaced in a global AI race … For example our Singaporean neighbours are devoting around five times the amount we announced this year for AI investment.”

Mr Husic added that a lukewarm interest in AI application from government would likely influence thinking on AI from within Australia’s business community.

“This might be why when you compare the level of tech and digital investment support devoted by business across a range of countries, Australia is also lagging,” he said.

“It’s probably unrealistic to expect that all countries can spend up big to match the AI investment of others, but it is definitely worth thinking about how regional co-operation could potentially magnify benefit across borders and within nations.”