Matters of Interest

Artificial Intelligence

The Hon. T.T. NGO (15:20): The world is diving into the fascinating phenomenon of artificial intelligence (AI), a term coined back in 1956 by the American computer scientist John McCarthy, one of the founding fathers in early AI research. Today, AI is firmly part of our lives as it reshapes how we live, study and work. Everything shifted when ChatGPT, the AI-powered language model developed by OpenAI, became accessible to us all in November 2022. Within two months it reached over 100 million users, making it one of the fastest growing technologies in history.

Models like ChatGPT handle text and are part of a wider wave of generative AI tools. Other models create images, logos and full design layouts, enabling workers in the creative industries to provide informed prompts to AI so they can finish several projects in a day instead of just one or two. While experts acknowledge that AI will inevitably cause some job losses, they tend to be optimistic and see AI as a positive force for creating better jobs, boosting productivity and strengthening the economy.

Our experts and professionals offer something AI cannot match, and that is a depth of specialist experience that can steer AI tools with precision. Chatbots can give quick medical advice, robots help in surgery, and AI can detect patterns in X-rays that humans might miss; however, turning those insights into safe personalised care depends on a doctor's hands-on experience, judgement and empathy. Viewed in this way, AI becomes less about replacing talent and more about allowing many professionals to work in new ways and unlock new possibilities.

In fact, AI is becoming a quiet but powerful partner in almost every part of daily life, and it is for this reason the Malinauskas government had the foresight to appoint a dedicated AI and digital economy minister, Mr Michael Brown MP. His mission is to help keep South Australia ahead of the AI curve so that we use this technology ethically, strategically and for the benefit of everyone.

We need to remember that in 2017, we set up the country's first artificial intelligence institute at the old Royal Adelaide Hospital site. Adelaide's Lot Fourteen will house the groundbreaking new $20 million Responsible AI Research Centre announced in December 2024. This will enable us to tackle the challenges of AI and support the federal government's efforts to create safe and responsible AI practices.

Recently, the Malinauskas Labor government launched a six-month trial using AI to reduce the approval times for straightforward development applications. Applicants can submit computer-aided design drawings, which AI evaluates against predefined planning criteria. The AI system then generates detailed reports outlining compliance with its relevant planning provision, reducing the average assessment time from approximately 9.5 business days to a matter of minutes.

The introduction of new smart traffic cameras is another AI initiative. The AI-powered cameras are currently operating on the Heaslip Road exit from the Northern Expressway, another is located at the Paradise Interchange and two more are operating at different locations along Main South Road. The pilot program is enabling real-time monitoring and automatic adjustment of traffic signals and alleviates congestion and improves road safety.

These initiatives illustrate only a fraction of our agenda, yet they make one thing clear: the Labor government is positioning South Australia at the forefront of Australia's AI-powered future, driving world-class research that will keep our state competitive, innovative and resilient.