Ai Group welcomed the opportunity to make a submission to the House Standing Committee on Employment, Education and Training Inquiry into the rapid development and uptake of automated decision-making and machine learning techniques in the workplace – Inquiry into the Digital Transformation of Workplaces.

The changing technologies that are the focus of this inquiry are being used by many of our members for a range of functions including to enhance productivity, provide effective learning, improve worker safety, enhance worker experiences and to drive innovation. Having the capacity to seize and maximise these technologies is vital so our members can gain and maintain competitive advantage, and to ensure Australia is a competitive and productive place to do business in a rapidly changing world.

We ask the Committee to ensure it does not focus only on what might be perceived to be negative aspects of AI in the workplace as this will be at the expense of a more balanced assessment. The reality is that digital transformation is making and will continue to make significant and positive contributions to the workplace, including but not limited to by improving job quality, productivity and competitiveness.

Jobs are continuously changing, which will likely continue to be an integral part of digital transformation. This highlights the important role that skills development, including government support for foundation skills and lifelong learning, needs to play in achieving optimal outcomes.