On September 11, 2023, the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) announced that members of the Digital Platform Regulators Forum (DP-REG) had made a joint submission to the Department of Industry, Science and Resources consultation on the Safe and responsible AI in Australia Discussion Paper. The OAIC noted that the submission was in line with DP-REG's strategic priorities for 2023-24, which included assessing the risks and benefits of artificial intelligence (AI). In particular, the DP-REG comprises the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), the eSafety Commissioner (eSafety), and the OAIC.

Application of existing frameworks to AI

In its submission, DP-REG highlighted the potential impacts of AI in relation to each member's existing regulatory framework. More specifically, the submission discussed the impact of AI on:

• consumer protection: as AI can be used to create fake reviews and misleading statements;
• competition: as AI can enable large digital platforms to entrench and extend their market power;
• media and the information environment: as AI can be used to spread misinformation;
• privacy: as AI systems process personal data in ways data subjects do not fully understand; and
• online safety: as AI can be used to create content for the purpose of online bullying or manipulation.

In the submission, DP-REG also called for an analysis of how existing regulatory frameworks may be utilized or strengthened, to provide appropriate safeguards for the Australian public in relation to AI technology.

You can read the press release here and the joint submission here.