A new report from the Centre for Public Integrity warns that the federal government’s unchecked use of algorithms and artificial intelligence in decision-making risks repeating past controversies like the robodebt scandal, due to a lack of transparency and regulatory oversight. The thinktank’s analysis, titled "Computer Says No," highlights the growing reliance on automated decision-making tools across government services and demands stronger safeguards, including mandatory audits and a public register of all such systems. Without urgent reforms, critics argue, the risks of biased, opaque, or erroneous decisions could escalate without accountability. The report was released amid broader concerns over the expanding role of AI in public administration.
Centre for Public Integrity report says mandatory audit and public register of all automated decision-making neededGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe federal government is “sleepwalking its way into another robodebt” scandal amid a lack of transparency and legislation around use of algorithms and artificial intelligence in decisions, the chief executive of independent thinktank the Centre for Public Integrity said.Dr Catherine Williams launched the centre’s “Computer Says No” report on Thursday, which examines the use of automated decision-making (ADM) tools by the government and calls for urgent reform. Continue reading...
