ADM+S research informs NSW Artificial Intelligence Inquiry
Author Kathy Nickels
Date 8 March 2024
ADM+S researchers have provided evidence on the use of automated decision-making (ADM) systems by state and local governments in NSW at the first hearing of the NSW Artificial Intelligence Inquiry held in Parliament today.
The inquiry is examining the impact of artificial intelligence on various aspects of people’s lives in NSW, both now and into the future, to ensure that New South Wales is well positioned to navigate the opportunities, risks and challenges this technology presents.
Evidence presented by Prof Kimberlee Weatherall and Dr José-Miguel Bello y Villarino from the ARC Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision-Making and Society (ADM+S) comes from research reported in Automated Decision-Making in NSW: Mapping and analysis of the use of ADM systems by state and local governments.
This research was the first attempt to undertake a systematic mapping of ADM in any jurisdiction in Australia and one of the very few attempts across the world.
Through comprehensive surveys and targeted interviews with NSW state and local government entities, researchers found widespread and accelerated use of automation in NSW departments and agencies as well as providing some insights regarding ADM use in local councils, which had not been sufficiently explored to date.
“We found ADM systems involved across government services, from low to high stakes contexts”, said Professor Kimberlee Weatherall, Professor of Law, The University of Sydney Law School and Chief Investigator, ARC Centre of Excellence on Automated Decision-Making and Society.
Key findings:
- The NSW government sector use of ADM systems is widespread and increasing
- NSW government organisations are interested in AI, but simpler forms of automation and data linkage and matching are widespread
- There is widespread use of sensors, computer vision and analysis, including use by local councils
- Humans are mostly ‘in the loop’ for now, but further automation is a short step away
- There may be a need for wider expertise and testing at the development stage of ADM systems
“We found that a mapping of this kind is challenging for a whole range of reasons, and so we also provide insights, learned through the process of conducting this mapping, about how to identify, and record ADM system use in government.
“We believe this will be useful both for researchers, and for governments seeking to be transparent and accountable for their use of technology”.
This research was undertaken as a partnership between ADM+S and the NSW Ombudsman seeking better visibility on when and how ADM systems are being used to support or replace the work of NSW public servants in making decisions that affect the public in NSW.
NSW Ombudsman, Paul Miller PSM said, “we hope that all departments, agencies and local councils that have contributed to this research will find the analysis and insights in the report of value, and useful as they continue to consider and pursue their own current and future ADM projects”.
The project follows from a ground-breaking report on the use of technology in government decision-making published by the NSW Ombudsman in 2021.
This research is expected to impact the future deployment of AI and automation. More importantly, the research project has generated important conversations about systems already deployed.
