Adopting Artificial Intelligence (Ai) Select Committee

Anne Urquhart

At the request of Senator Ayres, Senator Shoebridge and Senator David Pocock, I move:

(1) That a select committee, to be known as the Select Committee on Adopting Artificial Intelligence (AI), be established to inquire into and report on the opportunities and impacts for Australia arising out of the uptake of AI technologies in Australia, including consideration of:

(a) recent trends and opportunities in the development and adoption of AI technologies in Australia and overseas, in particular regarding generative AI;

(b) risks and harms arising from the adoption of AI technologies, including bias, discrimination and error;

(c) emerging international approaches to mitigating AI risks;

(d) opportunities to adopt AI in ways that benefit citizens, the environment and/or economic growth, for example in health and climate management;

(e) opportunities to foster a responsible AI industry in Australia;

(f) potential threats to democracy and trust in institutions from generative AI; and

(g) environmental impacts of AI technologies and opportunities for limiting and mitigating impacts.

(2) That the committee present its final report on or before 19 September 2024.

(3) That the committee consist of 6 senators, as follows:

(a) two nominated by the Leader of the Government in the Senate;

(b) two nominated by the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate;

(c) one nominated by the Leader of the Australian Greens in the Senate; and

(d) one nominated by minor party and independent senators.

(4) That:

(a) participating members may be appointed to the committee on the nomination of the Leader of the Government in the Senate, the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate or any minority party or independent senator;

(b) participating members may participate in hearings of evidence and deliberations of the committee, and have all the rights of members of the committee, but may not vote on any questions before the committee;

(c) a participating member shall be taken to be a member of a committee for the purpose of forming a quorum of the committee if a majority of members of the committee is not present; and

(d) if a member of the committee is unable to attend a meeting of the committee, that member may in writing to the Chair appoint a participating member to act as a substitute member of the committee at that meeting; if the member is incapacitated or unavailable, a letter to the chair appointing a participating member to act as a substitute member of the committee may be signed on behalf of the member by the leader of the party or group on whose nomination the member was appointed to the committee.

(5) That the committee may proceed to the dispatch of business notwithstanding that not all members have been duly nominated and appointed and notwithstanding any vacancy.

(6) That the committee elect as chair one of the members nominated by the Leader of the Government in the Senate and as deputy chair one of the members nominated by either the Leader of the Australian Greens in the Senate or minor party and independent senators.

(7) That the deputy chair shall act chair when the chair is absent from a meeting of the committee or the position of chair is temporarily vacant.

(8) That, in the event of an equality of voting, the chair, or the deputy chair when acting as chair, have a casting vote.

(9) That the committee and any subcommittee have power to send for and examine persons and documents, to move from place to place, to sit in public or in private, notwithstanding any prorogation of the Parliament or dissolution of the House of Representatives, and have leave to report from time to time its proceedings and the evidence taken and such interim recommendations as it may deem fit.

(10) That the committee have power to appoint subcommittees consisting of 3 or more of its members, and to refer to any such subcommittee any of the matters which the committee is empowered to consider.

(11) That the committee be provided with all necessary staff, facilities and resources and be empowered to appoint persons with specialist knowledge for the purposes of the committee with the approval of the President.

(12) That the committee be empowered to print from day to day such papers and evidence as may be ordered by it, and a daily Hansard be published of such proceedings as take place in public.

James McGrath

by leave—I move:

At the end of paragraph (1), add:

(h) the national security risks to Australia presented by AI, including in relation to cyber security, misinformation and disinformation; and

(i) any related matters.

Paragraph (6), omit "either the Leader of the Australian Greens in the Senate or minor party and independent senators", substitute "the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate".

Sue Lines

The question is that the amendment moved by Senator McGrath to business of the Senate No. 508 be agreed to.