At the Digital Transformation Agency AI Government Showcase, my badge listed my first name as “Dr”. I had fun introducing myself as 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗼𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿—alas, no time machine, just discussions about the future of AI.

I joined a fantastic panel with colleagues, including the former and current directors (Stela SOLAR Lee Hickin) of the National AI Centre, an organisation that has become the trusted voice and enabler for AI in Australia. Lucy Poole from DTA opened with the toughest question: AI and job replacement.

𝗠𝘆 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲: don’t rely on predicting what AI will “never” do for job security. Instead, focus on how AI and humans together can achieve more. Jobs are not just about completing tasks; they’re about human growth, learning, and problem understanding. Designing human oversight in AI is not just about a safeguard—it shapes the future of work and the secrets to human productivity.

I also argued that portraying AI regulation/risk management as a trade-off with innovation is a 𝗳𝗮𝗹𝘀𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝗰𝗵𝗼𝘁𝗼𝗺𝘆. Just as car brakes allow cars to go faster safely, good AI governance enables confident and faster innovation. Many technical controls simultaneously reduce risks and enhance product performance.

Finally, I shared two innovation models I see working best. First, 𝗴𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁-𝗮𝘀-𝗮𝗻-𝗲𝘅𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗿 in adopting AI in partnership with industry and research organisations. With AI, this collaboration is crucial: government is uniquely positioned to combine public trust with adoption.

Second, Australia’s Cooperative Research Centres (CRCs) provide a powerful framework for tackling both commercial and societal challenges. After seven successful years of the Cyber Security CRC, CSIRO’s Data61, together with UNSW and other university partners, is now preparing the 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵𝘆 𝗗𝗶𝗴𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗲𝘁𝘆 𝗖𝗥𝗖 (interim chair The Hon. Victor Dominello) —addressing AI adoption, risk, digital infrastructure and productivity head-on. If you’re a company keen to shape this journey, reach out to me.

For more info about the Trustworthy Digital Society CRC, see https://tdscrc.com/