What Andrew Leigh has said about AI safety
“If we get this right – if governments listen, if workers’ voices are at the centre – then AI can help us build an economy where expertise is widespread, middle-class jobs are plentiful, and the fair go is stronger than ever. The story of technology is not destiny. The future of AI is not written. It is ours to shape, and we should shape it so that work in the AI age is fairer, safer and more rewarding for all Australians.”
Andrew Leigh · Labor · · The Canberra Times - Opinion Piece (opens in a new tab)
“I think we’re all concerned about the implications for privacy. I think there are reasons to be concerned about the potential anti-competitive aspects if the AI engines consolidate over coming years. But it’s also very clear that this is a technology with great potential to take away drudge parts of our jobs and allow people to focus on the most stimulating types.”
“If you were thinking of boarding a plane that had a 5% chance of crashing, you probably wouldn’t get on. Reducing that 5% probability is a huge priority.”
Andrew Leigh · Labor · · Australia's AI Crossroads: Election 2025 Town Hall (opens in a new tab)
“AI represents the biggest catastrophic risk that we face.”
Andrew Leigh · Labor · · Australia's AI Crossroads: Election 2025 Town Hall (opens in a new tab)
“Recent years have seen an explosion in interest in artificial intelligence and big data. The technology is promising, but its use in government rightly makes people nervous. Yet it's useful to see areas where artificial intelligence and big data have helped produce better outcomes for citizens, without undermining key ethical values of transparency, privacy and human oversight.”
Andrew Leigh · Labor · · The Canberra Times – Opinion piece (opens in a new tab)
“On the optimistic side, AI can be a valuable competitive force in product and service markets. It might help small firms scale faster – placing pressure on lazy incumbents. If all firms have access to similar quality AI, it can have a democratising effect on the economy, potentially boosting dynamism. However, AI also poses five risks for competition.”
Andrew Leigh · Labor · · The Weekend Australian – Opinion piece (opens in a new tab)
“The rise of AI engines has been remarkable. To reach 100 million users, the telephone took 75 years. The mobile phone took 16 years. ChatGPT took two months.”
Andrew Leigh · Labor · · The Weekend Australian – Opinion piece (opens in a new tab)
“Minimizing the risks from artificial intelligence is not only a blend of philosophy and programming; it requires governments to synthesize their innovation-backing role with their regulatory duties. At present, these responsibilities are often delegated to different parts of the bureaucracy. Governments should learn from car designers, who recognize the value of putting the gas pedal next to the brake.”
Andrew Leigh · Labor · · What's the Worst That Could Happen (Chapter 5, p. 86) (opens in a new tab)
“Safety should not be an afterthought.”
Andrew Leigh · Labor · · What's the Worst That Could Happen (Chapter 5, p. 80) (opens in a new tab)
“It makes sense today to make the preparations that will help ensure that humanity’s final invention does not bring our final hour.”
Andrew Leigh · Labor · · What's the Worst That Could Happen (Chapter 5, p. 87) (opens in a new tab)
“Once a superintelligence has been created, it would be near-impossible to contain.”
Andrew Leigh · Labor · · What's the Worst That Could Happen (Chapter 5, p. 79) (opens in a new tab)
“When the leading researchers on an issue believe that there is a one in twenty chance it could extinguish the world, it’s not alarmist to be looking for solutions.”
Andrew Leigh · Labor · · What's the Worst That Could Happen (Chapter 5, p. 82) (opens in a new tab)
“The key to advances in artificial intelligence is the speed at which machines can improve themselves. Because human generations are around thirty years, genetic evolution takes thousands of years to bring about noticeable changes. But a computer algorithm can adapt instantly and rerun the code. This means that algorithmic ‘generations’ are measured in fractions of seconds, so technological advances occur at a dizzying rate. When they approach our levels of ability, it’s possible that computers might blast past us as though we are standing still. We could see an ‘intelligence explosion.’”
Andrew Leigh · Labor · · What's the Worst That Could Happen (Chapter 5, pp. 76–77) (opens in a new tab)
“Ultimately, tackling existential risks is a political problem. Private citizens can achieve many things, but preventing nuclear war, averting bioterrorism, and curbing greenhouse emissions are fundamentally problems of government. Governments control the military, levy taxes, and provide public goods. So the values of those who run the country will determine how much of a priority the nation places on averting catastrophe.”
Andrew Leigh · Labor · · What's the Worst That Could Happen (Chapter 1, p. 14) (opens in a new tab)
Contact Andrew Leigh about AI safety
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