The State’s tech sector has welcomed the appointment of ALP Deputy Leader Janie Finlay as Shadow Minister for Innovation, Artificial Intelligence and the Digital Economy – saying it will help Tasmania get the most from new technology.
CEO of TasICT, Russell Kelly, said Artificial Intelligence was already having a significant daily impact on all Tasmania’s industry sectors and society, and the ALP was to be congratulated for following the lead of the South Australian Government in providing a dedicated portfolio.
“Congratulations to Opposition Leader Josh Willie for an excellent first step.
“The AI genie is already out of the bottle – it’s up to our political leaders to grasp its importance and guide how we can sensibly use it.
“AI is just a digital tool – the task ahead is to understand how to use it in a human-centred way that extracts the benefits while minimising any harm.”
This year the South Australian Government established an Assistant Minister for Artificial Intelligence and the Digital Economy that brings together an allocation of $28 million to guide how that State uses AI and unlocks value for taxpayers.
Since 2024, the United Kingdom has had a Minister for AI and Digital Government.
Meanwhile federally, AI features prominently in the portfolio of Industry, Science and Resources, where Minister Senator Tim Ayers is leading the development of a National AI Capability Plan, among other programs.
Mr Kelly said a major part of repairing Tasmania’s finances was to use innovation, digital systems and AI to improve government services, especially speeding up administrative tasks and approvals.
“Many government processes are still running at the speed of pen and paper – despite increased priority from the State Government.
“Greater use of responsible Artificial Intelligence can help reduce red tape, make faster government decisions, and build cheaper and more efficient government services.
“The industry looks forward to helping Tasmania adopt new technology and innovation.”