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One in every class: AI-assisted online sexual abuse affects one in 25 Australian teens

Good morning! Read: One in 25 teens affected by AI-assisted online sexual abuse, study finds This research is the first nationally representative survey looking at the role AI is playing in online victimisation among young people. It contains some deeply shocking numbers. What stood out to me is how quickly a technology that’s only a few years old has become a major part of the abuse landscape for young people. One in four cases of non-consensual sexual image sharing for young Australians now involves AI (presumably produced by scungy “deepfake” or “nudify” apps). The study also sheds light on how often young people are turning to AI for help. It’s striking that children are now using AI to disclose abuse or seek support more than they are to authorities like the police. I think this speaks to the broader moment we’re in with AI. It’s now integrated into so many parts of our lives. On one hand, this technology is being misused in ways that create new harms and supercharge old ones. On the other, people are also turning to AI for support and guidance. There’s a complicated and nuanced conversation to be had about how we feel about people turning to AI rather than other people . I think many people would feel concerned if AI only functioned as a replacement for human support. But for some young people, it may provide access to support or a first point of disclosure when they don’t have trusted people or services available to them. It’s not in this study but, anecdotally, AI is also filling the gap, sometimes. The study makes one thing very clear: AI has crashed into every part of our lives, good and bad, and young people are on the front lines. Thanks CW! P.S. I love tips . I also love hearing what people think about stories and can promise 100% confidentiality for anyone who contacts me. Message me on encrypted messaging app Signal or send me a secure email here .

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Top secret AI copyright reform plan leads to senior minister clash with David Pocock

Hi, I just published: Senior Albanese minister clashes with Pocock over top-secret AI copyright claim Sorry I’m too knackered to say much more but here’s the story! CW

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Dozens of Australian government agencies failed first test at self-policing AI use

Hi! I just published: Government agencies fail first hurdle under AI self-reporting policy A Friday treat off the back of the Four Corners report earlier this week about Australia’s approach to rules around AI. After last year’s election, the federal government did a U-turn and decided against EU style regulation with a central AI Act and broad rules for its use. Instead, it tasked all the government department and agencies with setting their own rules for AI. But around the same time, many of these agencies showed the flaws of this approach. Dozens of them failed at their first test of self-policing their own use by missing deadlines for disclosing how they use AI or who is responsible. While they’ve remedied this issue, it’s notable because the shows the potential issues with adding another issue to the already full plates of these government agencies — particularly for an issue that’s as complicated and fast moving as AI! Thanks, CW P.S. I love tips . I also love hearing what people think about stories and can promise 100% confidentiality for anyone who contacts me. Message me on encrypted messaging app Signal or send me a secure email here .

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As Elon Musk's SpaceX goes public, government officials are raising the alarm about Starlink's risks to Australia

Hi! I just published As Elon Musk’s SpaceX goes public, Australian government officials are flagging Starlink’s risks . Later this week, Elon Musk’s SpaceX will go public. Naturally, there will be a lot of attention on how it could make Musk the world’s first trillionaire, or on whether the business fundamentals of SpaceX justify the valuation. What I’m interested in is a different question: what will Musk do with the tens of billions of dollars raised in the float? This story looks at how the Australian government is privately lagging the risks that Starlink presents to Australia — and how those risks could grow if SpaceX is even better resourced and Musk is even more insulated from consequences. Starlink is clearly a very useful business. Its ability to bypass government control was seen as a positive when people in Iran used it to stay in contact with the outside world during internet blackouts. But that same capability creates challenges for Australia’s ability to enforce laws and rules that govern how people use the internet and connect with each other. That is particularly important given Musk’s alleged history of using this capability to cut off or restrict service at his own whim, and his clashes with Australia and other Western governments that have chosen to regulate his companies. Thanks, CW P.S. I love tips . I also love hearing what people think about stories and can promise 100% confidentiality for anyone who contacts me. Message me on encrypted messaging app Signal or send me a secure email here .

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What do the pope and most Australians have in common?

Hello! I just published: What do the pope and most Australians have in common? Neither trust AI companies As I get a feel for this beat, one thing has been coming up time and time again. I hear it from companies, politicians, academics, activists. AI is pretty unpopular. Obviously, there’s plenty of negative news coverage of it. But, still, for something that is promising so much, that is used by millions of Australians, I was surprised by just how poorly it is viewed. What I wanted to lay out is how this isn’t simply a comms problem, but a barrier based in people’s real experiences for an industry (and a government) that is asking the Australians to use their products, share their resources and even change their laws. Thanks, CW P.S. I love tips . I also love hearing what people think about stories and can promise 100% confidentiality for anyone who contacts me. Message me on encrypted messaging app Signal or send me a secure email here .

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Meet the philosopher tasked with keeping Australians safe from AI

Hiya! I just published Kate Conroy appointed inaugural general manager of Australian AI Safety Institute I’m pretty interested in the government’s yet-to-be-launched AI Safety Institute. For context, the federal government ditched plans for a dedicated AI Act, mandatory high risk guardrails for AI use or a independent regulator. Now, we’ve got a body that sits inside government, has no real powers, and a fairly modest budget that is supposed to contend with the enormous challenge of understanding cutting edge AI developments, testing, and advising how to avoid those risks. Even the decision about risks to focus on is fairly consequential: there’s current risks (everything from deepfakes to misinformation to intellectual property etc) to existential risk (SkyNet et al.). And then there’s the risk of potentially failing to seize promised benefits. Dr Kate Conroy has a long career working with government on how to use AI ethically. She’s very qualified. The choice to go with her, rather than someone from industry or someone with a real technical expertise, sends a message about what the government wants from this role. Thanks for reading and would love to hear if you have any thoughts. Thanks, CW P.S. I love tips . I also love hearing what people think about stories and can promise 100% confidentiality for anyone who contacts me. Message me on encrypted messaging app Signal or send me a secure email here .

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New AI models 'too dangerous' to release are fuelling the government's desire to woo tech companies down under

G’day! I hope you don’t mind but I’m going to start using this list more regularly to send out my reporting (which, now in my new gig as the national AI reporter at the ABC, is no longer behind a paywall). Just in case, here’s an unsubscribe button if you’re not keen! unsubscribe So: plenty in my first reported article about how access to cutting edge AI models are new leverage for tech companies considering whether to set up major operations in Australia or other countries. The federal government is keen to get a company like Anthropic to make “major investments” here, according to a departmental briefing that I got via FOI, and has been willing to open up discussions about the AI’s company’s copyright problem. OK, enjoy! CW

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After five long years...

Hello! I’m emailing to say that, after five unforgettable years at Crikey and 18 months at the Sizzle, I’ve taken on a new role as the ABC’s national AI tech reporter. It's a completely new position and, as far I know, the only reporting role of its kind in Australia. And what a beat it is! AI is one of the biggest stories in the world right now. There's an eye-watering amount of money, influence and hype involved which makes it ripe for critical, nuanced and innovative reporting. So: if you have a story involving how Australians and AI, I'm all ears: [email protected] . Or, you can contact me on secure email [email protected] or Signal @cmw.69 — confidentiality guaranteed! Cheers, Cam

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One month until Australia's internet changes forever

Hi, As you may have noticed, my reporting since this year’s election has focused on Australia’s teen social media ban. There are so many reasons to be fascinated by it. It’s the Albanese government’s flagship tech policy. It’s been pushed by big tech’s enemies (particularly traditional media) but given to big tech to make it work. The ban’s broad approach is supposed to help solve a lot of ills, but the specifics of how it works, based on what we know, seem to complicate, even contradict, those aims. It’s about helping kids, but the policy itself has been aimed squarely at appealing to parents and others. Young people’s voices have been drowned out. Throughout my coverage, I’ve been doing my best to talk to as many people as are involved and affected, to understand the various processes that have brought us here, to decipher the details of policy and politics — all to give a fair perspective on the winding path here. (Also not to to toot my own horn but I’ve done some good reporting on secret political deals , leaked reports , secret government polling , trial tumult , last minute lawmaking , and loopholes ). Now, it’s 38 days until the deadline for social media platforms to start taking the “reasonable steps” to keep Australians under 16 from having accounts on their platforms. In the lead up to the deadline and afterwards, I’ll be closely reporting on what’s happening. Soon, we’re going to find out more about which major companies will be required to comply, how (and if) they plan to do it, and how Australians respond. Not just young people, but the rest of us who use these platforms daily and will need to have our ages checked — and all the complication that comes with that. I’m putting this out there because I want to know your questions, hear your thoughts, get your tips! Tell me what I’m missing, what I’m getting, what I’m wrong about and what’s on the money. You can securely email me here or message me here , confidentiality guaranteed! Also, perhaps confusingly, I’ve started another mailing list that I email out every single article I write because it would be really annoying if I did it to this list. If you want to make sure you don’t miss a Cam update, sign up here . Yours, Cam.