This page highlights national guidelines and resources.
AI Trends for Healthcare
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A key difference between the use of AI in healthcare and the use of AI in other industries is where AI provides decision making for diagnosis, prevention, prediction, prognosis, monitoring or treatment. In these cases, the AI is considered a medical device and is currently regulated as such – ‘software as a medical device (SaMD)’. This feeds into a bigger discussion of the use of AI across healthcare, for clinical and non-clinical purposes, and ensuring Australia is ready for its use. The healthcare consequences of the rise of generative models are rapidly unfolding and the national discussion about how to regulate AI is gaining pace.
Gen AI Concepts
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Generative AI products and services, such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Alphabet’s Gemini, and Microsoft’s Copilot, have sparked substantial interest in the private and public sectors. Organisations are already experimenting with integrated AI services provided by big tech firms, as well as custom procurements from smaller software companies. In the absence of comprehensive AI regulation in Australia, deploying these systems in a responsible, ethical and legally compliant way demands a deep understanding of how they function and the legal and ethical challenges they raise. But generative AI (GenAI) is not simple. AI software systems are diverse and rely on complex supply chains and data flows. Coming to grips with the technical, operational and regulatory vocabularies that have emerged around GenAI is a considerable challenge. To help entities interested in GenAI deployments, this publication outlines 42 concepts fundamental to AI software systems. Each concept is illustrated through descriptions, examples and real-world use cases, with accessible language and visual elements to accommodate a diverse range of stakeholders and readerships.
A National Policy Roadmap for Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare
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This National Policy Roadmap for AI in Healthcare (The Roadmap) delivers a policy agenda for AI in Healthcare. It delivers a critically needed co-ordinated national approach, with the aim of bringing Australia into line with comparable nations who have already made substantial progress in investment and adoption of AI.
Policy for the Responsible Use of AI in Government (September 2024)
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The increasing adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping the economy, society and government. While the technology is moving fast, the lasting impacts of AI on the activities of government are likely to be transformational. This policy provides a framework to position the Australian Government as an exemplar under its broader safe and responsible AI agenda. This policy is a first step in the journey to position government as an exemplar in its safe and responsible use of AI, in line with the Australian community’s expectations. It sits alongside whole-of-economy measures such as mandatory guardrails and voluntary industry safety measures.
For government, the benefits of adopting AI include more efficient and accurate agency operations, better data analysis and evidence-based decisions, and improved service delivery for people and business. Many areas of the Australian Public Service (APS) already use AI to improve their work and engagement with the public.
To unlock innovative use of AI, Australia needs a modern and effective regulatory system. Internationally, governments are introducing new regulations to address AI’s distinct risks, focused on preventative, risk-based guardrails that apply across the supply chain and throughout the AI lifecycle. The Australian Government’s consultations on safe and responsible AI show our current regulatory system is not fit for purpose to respond to the distinct risks that AI poses.
The consultation also found that the public expects government to be an exemplar of safe and responsible adoption and use of AI technologies. Public trust in AI and government’s use of it is low, which acts as a handbrake on adoption. The preparedness and maturity for managing AI varies across the APS. AI technologies change at speed and scale, presenting further risks if not acted upon quickly to mitigate them. This means government has an elevated level of responsibility for its use of AI and should be held to a higher standard of ethical behaviour.
The policy aims to create a coordinated approach to government’s use of AI and has been designed to complement and strengthen – not duplicate – existing frameworks in use by the APS. In recognition of the speed and scale of change in this area, the policy is designed to evolve over time as the technology changes, leading practices develop, and the broader regulatory environment matures.
Safe and responsible AI in Australia Consultation: Australian Government’s Interim Response
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This discussion paper focuses on governance mechanisms to ensure AI is developed and used safely and responsibly in Australia. These mechanisms can include regulations, standards, tools, frameworks, principles and business practices. The paper builds on the recent Rapid Research Report on Generative AI delivered by the government’s National Science and Technology Council.
Artificial Intelligence for Health in New Zealand Hauora i te Atamai Iahiko
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The health sector in New Zealand is facing challenges. These include increasing demand, rising consumer expectations, and the pressures of an ageing population. These factors are straining the health workforce, increasing costs and limiting access to care.
The AI Forum’s latest research report describes how AI promises to bring significant clinical, workforce and cost benefits to the health sector, as well as personalise medical care. It can help with predicting disease and injury; and mine vast quantities of literature for research insights.
It can also assist in novel drug discovery; augment the work of human specialists through image analysis and robotic surgery; automate hospital processes; free up more time for doctor-patient interaction and provide personalised treatment.
Capturing the Benefits of AI in Healthcare for Aotearoa New Zealand: A Rapid Report from the Prime Minister’s Chief Science Advisor Kaitohutohu Mātanga Pūtaiao Matua ki te Pirimia
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In the wake of COVID-19, pressures on our health services and our healthcare professionals are immense and well-publicised. Though far from a panacea, artificial intelligence (AI) offers opportunities to strengthen the health system, support healthcare professionals, and improve the health of all New Zealanders. Taking a broad perspective of AI and its promise to improve health outcomes, we imagine an Aotearoa New Zealand in which the benefits of AI have been captured, at least in primary care, in our Vision. The horizon of this rapid report is the near future, providing an overview of feasible opportunities within this time frame. We explored the possible benefits that AI may provide within the next five years and ways we can plan, manage, and deliver better outcomes in administrative areas, care delivery and health equity, population health and policy, and research. The report also features case studies from New Zealand and around the world to give a sense of the opportunities. Additionally, through the engagement process we were able to hear about the journey for some of our local case studies, and some of the hurdles they had to navigate are captured throughout the report. In common with other countries, there are, of course, some challenging issues with which to engage as we adopt AI, including ethics, consent, governance, equity, and the risks of a digital divide. Our discussions also highlighted some themes unique to New Zealand such as digital infrastructure, nurturing data as taonga, population dynamics, and enabling access. We provide recommendations to help build an ecosystem that can fully capture the benefits of AI in the New Zealand health sector.
Trustworthy AI in Aotearoa AI Principles
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Artificial intelligence (AI) can drive significant economic and social benefits for New Zealand. But it also introduces a range of risks and challenges to New Zealand society that cannot be overlooked. To help maintain public trust in the development and use of AI in New Zealand, the Law, Society and Ethics Working Group of the AI Forum has published a set of guiding principles for “Trustworthy AI in Aotearoa New Zealand” (the AI Principles). Those principles are designed to provide high-level guidance for anyone involved in designing, developing and using artificial intelligence in New Zealand (AI stakeholders), with the goal of ensuring New Zealanders have access to trustworthy AI.
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