Technology
‘Big tech wants this to fail’: beef-up for social ban
1 July
Tech companies have been dragging their feet on enforcing Australia’s child social media ban because they want the age limit to fail, federal leaders say. Existing provisions barring children under 16 from platforms like Instagram, TikTok,...[Read More]
Why teachers are creating AI-powered classroom helpers
17 June
Imagine you are training as a dentist and must treat a patient with sensitive teeth, a nervous disposition and a challenging diagnosis. Now imagine that patient is powered by artificial intelligence, programmed by your professor and designed to help...[Read More]
Apple boss praises social media ban in Albanese call
10 June
Child safety changes on Apple devices have been inspired by Australia’s ban on under-16s using social media. Apple’s chief executive Tim Cook has spoken with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese about the changes in a phone call on Tuesday, singling...[Read More]
Aussies pay up as use of artificial intelligence surges
3 June
More and more Australians are finding artificial intelligence so useful they are willing to pay for it. An analysis of 8.3 billion Westpac customer credit card and debit card transactions has found more than 150,000 retail customers in March paid...[Read More]
AI to hit Aussies as data centres push up energy costs
3 June
The race to build data centres in Australia could force household electricity prices up by as much as 26 per cent within a decade, a study has found. The artificial intelligence hubs could also use as much electricity as all homes in the state of...[Read More]
More young Aussies understand AI but they still fear it
27 May
Almost two in three young Australians think artificial intelligence will be used to eliminate jobs and only two per cent think it will create them. Despite their concerns, more Aussies say they have a strong understanding of the technology and...[Read More]
Email scams: Why one click can cost more than you think
7 May
Email scams have become one of the most common and costly threats facing small businesses and everyday consumers. What used to be obvious — poorly written emails, strange attachments and unbelievable offers — has become far more sophisticated....[Read More]
AI chatbots might dob: Meta issues warning to teens
29 April
Teenagers who use artificially intelligent chatbots built into Instagram, Facebook and Messenger could be asked to explain themselves after Meta announced changes to parental controls. The US social media giant revealed it would prepare reports...[Read More]
More young people like social media ban than oppose it
15 April
More young Australians support the government’s social media ban for under-16s than oppose it, a study has found, even though they remain concerned about missing out on information, news and social connections. But tweens and teens directly...[Read More]
AI could devalue your degree, federal government warns
18 March
A university degree might become less valuable for securing a job in the age of artificial intelligence, posits an influential member of the government’s economics team, as financial workers worry that AI might steal their jobs. Rather than formal...[Read More]
Why AI’s beginning doesn’t mean the end of your career
11 March
Natalie MacDonald was six weeks back from maternity leave when a group email landed at 1am saying she’d been made redundant. After seven years at global tech company LinkedIn, the 36-year-old Sydney mum’s role as a senior news editor was one of...[Read More]
Limiting screen time not enough to protect kids: study
11 March
Any measure limiting the use of digital platforms by children, including a social media ban, is worth considering to protect mental health, a study has found. The review of global evidence from more than 360,000 young people found higher use of...[Read More]
Social media ban study to track thousands of families
4 March
The internet watchdog will track thousands of Australian families to assess the impact of the world-first social media ban on teenagers. The evaluation, led by the eSafety Commission’s research team, aims to understand how the law which kicked in...[Read More]
AI chatbots no substitute for human friends
25 February
Artificial intelligence companions might alleviate loneliness in aged care, but they can’t offer the vital physical touch or address social isolation, experts warn. Research from Monash University argues new AI ‘digital companions’, marketed...[Read More]
Australian social media ban both a success and failure
11 February
When Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez revealed plans to ban children younger than 16 from social media, he did so based on a precedent set in Australia. His announcement at the World Governments Summit came two months after an Australian law...[Read More]