Policies are needed to protect Melbourne’s workers from likely job losses amid the disruptive rise of artificial intelligence, warns former New York mayor Bill De Blasio.
asserted
Blasio → need → intelligence
De Blasio, who is speaking at this week’s Melbourne Assembly civic forum at Federation Square, warns the outsize impact of the rise of AI goes well beyond the land and water swallowed up by data centres, an issue that has spurred local opposition.
asserted
that → speak → opposition
AI is already disrupting job markets around the world.
asserted
AI → disrupt → world
Mass redundancies at Silicon Valley’s big tech companies have targeted jobs including those of programmers and software engineers.
asserted
redundancies → target → programmers
In Australia, companies including Atlassian, WiseTech Global and Microsoft have all tied job cuts to the rise of AI.
asserted
companies → include → AI
Related Article
These cuts are predicted by many experts to spread to a larger group of white-collar workers such as customer service representatives, telemarketers, accountants, bookkeepers, payroll clerks and human resources specialists.
asserted
cuts → predict → representatives
De Blasio wants to see worker displacement legislation to ensure proper recompense for workers who are being replaced with AI.
asserted
who → want → AI
In New York an Automation Displacement Protection Act has been proposed which would cover employers with more than 50 workers and mandate 90 days’ written notice prior to AI-driven job displacement that affected 25 per cent or more of the workforce.
asserted
that → propose → workforce
The proposal includes a 90-day transition period for workers with continued pay, retraining support and protection against termination without just cause.
asserted
proposal → include → cause
“Instead of simply throwing former workers a bone, this policy guarantees that the profits companies make via automating jobs get substantially ploughed back into those who gave so much to their companies and then were left behind,” De Blasio will tell the Melbourne Assembly.
asserted
Blasio → throw → Assembly
Minister for Artificial Intelligence and the Digital Economy Anthony Carbines declined to comment on whether the government would consider worker displacement legislation.
asserted
government → decline → legislation
“Keeping a human in the loop is key to safe, ethical AI use across the Victorian economy,” he said.
asserted
he → keep → economy
“That’s why Labor is backing workers with free training to do their jobs with AI assistance, preparing Victorians for emerging roles like AI adoption, prompt engineering and agent management.
asserted
Labor → ’ → adoption
Carbines said AI is not a silver bullet to improve productivity and the state government would work with employers and unions to make sure it is adopted safely and ethically.
asserted
it → say → employers
Last month the federal government published its Intergenerational Report, which looked at the looming impact of AI on the economy, productivity and jobs.
asserted
which → publish → economy
“Labour-market impacts of AI are not yet fully evident but are expected to be uneven,” the report says.
asserted
report → expect → AI
It says there is not yet evidence of significant labour market effects from AI in Australia, but it urges against developing a sense of complacency.
asserted
it → say → complacency
Luke Hilakari, secretary of the Victorian Trades Hall Council, said the changes being wrought by AI are the largest transformation in Australia’s workforce since computerisation, but governments do not have a handle on the issue.
asserted
governments → say → issue
“Australia’s AI transition is being undermined by a failure to protect, utilise and enshrine worker voice,” he said.
asserted
he → undermine → voice
“While governments have long managed transitions resulting from economic restructuring, there is currently no comprehensive plan for dealing with AI-driven labour market disruption.”
asserted
governments → manage → disruption
Before looking to worker displacement legislation, Hilakari said, Australia needed a broader inquiry involving government, employers and unions to look at the opportunities and risks posed by AI, reach consensus on how artificial intelligence should be responsibly used in the workplace and look at how the government can respond to the needs of displaced workers.
asserted
government → look → workers
“For workers, the impacts are already being felt,” he said.
asserted
impacts → feel → workers
“Across many industries, jobs are being redesigned, automated or augmented through AI systems, often with limited consultation or planning.”
asserted
jobs → redesign → consultation
Related
De Blasio also wants to see stringent rules for data centre development, with limits on water and energy use and substantial tax revenue going to municipalities from the centres, given the limited employment opportunities they create.
asserted
they → want → opportunities
“Localities must require a strong, clear, actionable community benefits agreement before even considering permits to build data centres,” he will tell the Melbourne Assembly.
asserted
he → require → Assembly
New York has placed a moratorium on new data centre development.
asserted
York → place → development
The City of Melbourne recently voted against doing the same.
asserted
City → vote → same
In any event, data centres are routinely deemed to be essential infrastructure, allowing them to bypass local planning laws despite community opposition in many areas of Melbourne.
asserted
them → deem → Melbourne
Last month Premier Ben Carroll announced Labor would ban data centres near homes, while also introducing new power, water and community investment standards for developers.
asserted
Labor → announce → developers
Critics are concerned the ban does not apply retrospectively to data that are already approved.
asserted
that → concern → data
De Blasio believes governments around the world need to act swiftly to grapple with the impact of the rise of AI before it is too late.
asserted
it → believe → AI
“The absence of government policies and regulation related to AI all over the world is simply shocking and dangerous,” he will tell the Melbourne Assembly.
asserted
he → relate → Assembly
Melbourne Assembly will be held from October 19 to October 21.
asserted
Assembly → hold → October
Continue this series
Melbourne AssemblyUp next
The demand for sporting facilities has long outstripped supply, but with Melbourne’s population set to boom, grassroots organisations are calling on schools to help with a solution.
asserted
organisations → continue → solution
- Exclusive
A velodrome at Melbourne Park’s John Cain Arena, unused since 2019, is in the firing line from some sports industry leaders who say it is limiting capacity.
asserted
it → fire → capacity
Previously
- Exclusive
The University of Melbourne’s new vice-chancellor, Carolyn Evans, says Melbourne needs to double down on its strengths to remain a global innovation capital.
asserted
Melbourne → say → strengths
The Aporia
