The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) is partnering with the Human Technology Institute (HTI) at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) to promote the safe, responsible and effective use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the Asia-Pacific region.
In a project being launched at the AI Action Summit in Paris, HTI will work collaboratively with experts from government, civil society and industry to better understand the priorities for the development and deployment of AI for countries in the Asia-Pacific, the barriers to safe, responsible and effective AI use and what practical steps will support shared aims.
An event on Tuesday at the AI Action Summit, co-hosted by the Australian and Malaysian Governments in partnership with HTI, will bring together regional and global experts to highlight the opportunities of AI and prioritise the actions, investments and regulatory settings required for economies to unlock transformative benefits equitably and safely.
After the summit the project will focus on consultation and engagement in the Asia-Pacific region, with HTI developing issues papers from the input of key stakeholders to inform DFAT’s future capacity-building for sustainable and locally appropriate approaches to AI.
“Like Australia, the Asia-Pacific region is at a critical juncture in AI adoption,” said HTI Co-Director Professor Nicholas Davis.
“AI presents transformative opportunities for development, but states often lack the governance frameworks, reliable access to critical infrastructure, technical capacity and resources.”
HTI Co-Director Professor Edward Santow said the project presents a genuine opportunity for collaboration and sharing of experience between Australia and its partners in the region.
“That’s especially the case in areas such as government policy on AI, regulatory responses to AI and the experience of rapid market shifts.”
Australia’s Ambassador for Cyber Affairs and Critical Technology, Brendan Dowling, said, “While there is a proliferation of global fora on AI, few initiatives have been designed with and hosted in the Pacific and Southeast Asian regions, and too often key regional stakeholders are not included in discussions.”
“Australia is committed to working with countries in our neighbourhood to support and empower the adoption of safe, secure and responsible AI for a prosperous, inclusive and secure digital future,” Mr Dowling said.
 is partnering with the (HTI) at the University of Technology Sydney.){kind=link}