GUEST OPINION: The Federal Government released two papers on the safe and responsible use of artificial intelligence in Australia. Australian author, entrepreneur, and CEO of Smart WFM Jarrod McGrath, who wrote about AI policy in the workplace in his newly-released book The Modern CEO, has commented on the papers.
McGrath has drawn particular attention to the government’s finding that Australia needs workforce development strategies and policy settings when it comes to the use of AI.
Below is McGrath’s statement on the issue:
The report rightly called out the need for workforce development strategies and policy settings when it comes to the use of AI.
In my experience working closely with local organisations, most people don’t know their legal or ethical position when it comes to AI. This desperately needs to be unpacked, with people at the centre of considerations. After all, imagine the moral dilemma if hiring and firing decisions were based on data that algorithms weren’t supposed to access.
The government provides the Artificial Intelligence Ethics Framework, which is a good starting point from which organisations can base their AI policies. These kinds of guardrails need to be constantly refined in line with updates in the field, and should mature in line with legal considerations. Only then can businesses stay properly informed on the skills required for respectful and ethical governance.
To fulfil the shortage of AI workers, Australia’s organisations need to develop an agile digital muscle when it comes to the rapid pace of technological innovation. A new role called “prompt engineer” has emerged for those with skills in generative AI. You can bet the workplaces with prompt engineers will be the ones getting ahead.
AI won’t be the last advancement we see, so it’s time to start building this digital muscle now.
Originally published by iTWire
Jarrod McGrath, June 02, 2023