Australians will be able to take a crash course in responsible AI from next week, with Standards Australia to offer a training module on its international standard for responsible development and use of the technology for the first time.
The on-demand training module for ISO/IEC 42001, Information technology – Artificial Intelligence – Management System, will be delivered online in partnership with the Australian National University at a cost of $210 to participants.
Standards Australia developed ISO/IEC 42001 for the responsible governance of AI systems in with input from experts across 50 countries last year. Designed to help any organisation leverage the benefits of AI responsibly, it is considered the “crown jewel” of dozens of AI standards.
Chair of the International Electrotechnical Commission’s Australian National Committee and member of Standards Australia’s Board, Dr Ian Oppermann, said the standard provides a comprehensive framework for managing AI across borders, addressing unique challenges such as ethical considerations, transparency, and continual learning.
“The standard has been designed to help organisations harness the benefits of AI responsibly,” Dr Oppermann, also the former NSW chief data scientist, told InnovationAus.com.
As AI increasingly becomes a part of people’s lives, building trust in the technology is essential, he said.
“While Australian organisations are at the forefront of AI adoption, there is still progress to be made in areas such as infrastructure readiness, leadership confidence, and workforce upskilling. Adopting this standard could bolster efforts to enhance or restore a company’s reputation in relation to AI.”
The new training module is a two-hour online course that provides a downloadable certificate on completion.
The ISO/IEC FDIS 42001 standard was published last year and described by experts as the “crown jewel” of AI standards because it provides the global best-practice process for evaluating whether use and development is being done responsibly.
“Standards are an important tool for ensuring safe, sustainable, and responsible approaches to developing and deploying new and emergent technologies,” ANU vice chancellor and Distinguished Professor Genevieve Bell said.
Australia released its eight ethical AI principles in 2019. In 2023 a Responsible AI Network was also launched through the CSIRO National AI Centre, which aims to help businesses use and create AI ethically and safely.
Head of the centre Stela Solar last year warned most Australian businesses would be caught off guard by the ISO/IEC 42001 standard.
“This is going to cause supply chain disruption because suddenly everyone wants to have a trusted position with their customers and communities… Whether organisations are adhering to global standards and best practices is going to start to determine who you partner with [and] who you choose in your supply chain,” Ms Solar said.
An advisory council is currently preparing options for the Albanese government to introduce economy wide guardrails for AI, expected to introduce binding AI rules either through new laws or legislative reforms.
