LEARNING INTENTIONS

To engage with and respond to texts that explore the impact of AI.

Reading Comprehension Task 1

Reading Comprehension Task 2

Artificial Intelligence is coming, jobs will be affected, and the best thing to do is try to keep up. 

Key points:

• AI will be '"very disruptive" to the employment landscape

• But it will also create new jobs and opportunities

• Businesses were advised to adapt to the AI "revolution"

• That was the message from experts and academics at a Perth conference on Wednesday to help businesses prepare for the artificial intelligence "revolution".

The 2023 Data and AI for Business Conference and Exhibition brought together scientists, politicians and tech companies to brainstorm how AI could be harnessed by Australian businesses.

Toby Walsh, the chief scientist of the AI Institute at the University of New South Wales, said the technology would be "very disruptive" to the employment landscape.

"I think it's very clear that certain jobs will be transformed, certain jobs will be created, and certain jobs might be destroyed," Mr Walsh said.

"I think the best thing is to is to make yourself informed, make yourself someone who understands this technology, starts using the technology, it can lift your productivity.

"I think in the short term, the people who learn how to use the technology are probably going to be the people who replace the people who don't learn how to use the technology."

The aim of the two-day conference which began in Perth on Wednesday is to brainstorm solutions for business owners to embrace opportunities to use artificial intelligence.

Mr Walsh said there were estimates AI could grow the world's economy by 15 per cent.

Treat it like a colleague at work'

The question of how to make sure Australian businesses, and specifically WA, receive their share of the profit is one focus of the WA Data Science Innovation Hub.

The hub's director Alex Jenkins said the mining, farming and medical research industries stood to benefit greatly from artificial intelligence, but said the growth in technology will be relevant to businesses of all shapes and sizes.

"One of the best things about AI is that it will allow you to interface with software and computers in a more natural, conversational way, using natural language that you might talk to another person with.

"So one of the best ways that you can get to see how to use AI is to use something like Chat GPT, and get familiar with it.

"Treat it like a colleague at work, that you can give some tasks or some small jobs to, and help it process things in your day. And that would be the best way to get started."

AI a 'true revolution'

Although the conference had a business focus, bigger picture questions about the future of artificial intelligence were also front and centre of the conversation.

Excitement about the positive changes that artificial intelligence could bring for education (such as personalised tutoring) and access to legal representation (helping people who can't afford a lawyer) was palpable.

"I think we're in the middle of one of the great tech revolutions," said mathematician and former ABC Radio host Adam Spencer.

"The last one was the smartphone.

"At the time, we didn't realise how important the smartphone was going to be because it leaked out slowly. GPT large language models have just gone bang.

"It's a true revolution."

He provided an example of how AI could enable a surgery in Perth to be completed by a surgeon in the US, if that was needed. 

The downside of AI

But for every exciting prospect, there was acknowledgement of the potential for the technology to be misused, weaponised, or even to exceed our own intelligence.

"I'm concerned that a small number of corporations or a small number of people control the most powerful artificial intelligences, and that the everyday person doesn't have access to these tools," Mr Jenkins said.

"I think that that would promote a level of inequality that would be a step backwards for society."

Mr Jenkins said there were already laws in place to govern the use of AI in Australia, but it would be up to governments — particularly at a federal level — to find a balance between clear regulation and stifling innovation.