Australia's telecommunications, media and online gambling sectors are rapidly adopting artificial intelligence, with new ACMA research showing strong innovation but also growing risks.
In the media industry, AI is being used to personalise advertising and to streamline content production. However, researchers and commentators have raised concerns that some uses of AI may contribute to the amplification of misinformation and disinformation. This can affect public trust in news and raises concerns about the unauthorised use of copyrighted material.
The gambling industry is using AI for predictive analytics and odds setting, personalised promotions, and detecting harmful or fraudulent behaviour. Concurrently, researchers and consumer advocates have raised concerns that the role of AI in targeted marketing may increase risks for vulnerable users.
The telco industry is adopting AI to improve operational efficiency, reduce costs and create new revenue streams. The research finds AI can support more resilient networks by predicting faults and automating recovery. Some telcos are also using AI to detect scam activities in real time.
The ACMA research shows that while AI is delivering efficiencies across these sectors, its adoption is also prompting calls from stakeholders for stronger governance, transparency and safeguards.
The research was published across three separate reports which have been published on the ACMA website.
