Premier Peter Malinauskas wants the state to shape how AI is used before the technology transforms schools, public services, health, industry and culture
South Australia will launch a $3 million Royal Commission into artificial intelligence, with Premier Peter Malinauskas warning that governments must act now to ensure the technology develops in the public interest.
The inquiry will examine how AI is already being used, what opportunities it can create and what risks it may pose as adoption accelerates across the economy and public sector.
The Royal Commission is expected to begin in October, with a final report due no later than July 1 next year.
“The biggest technological shift since the industrial revolution”
Malinauskas described AI as one of the most significant technological transformations in modern history.
He said South Australia could not stop the spread of artificial intelligence, but it could influence how the technology is adopted and regulated.
The government’s stated objective is to maximise the benefits of AI while identifying potential harms before they become deeply embedded.
The Premier said the state wanted to become a leader in developing policy that puts people’s interests first.
Schools, health and public services in focus
The inquiry will gather evidence on the impact of AI across a broad range of sectors.
Among the areas expected to come under scrutiny are education, industry, public health, government services, arts and culture.
The government is particularly interested in how AI could affect learning, employment, decision-making and access to essential services.
Malinauskas said governments had a responsibility to make sure technological change improved people’s lives rather than simply allowing disruption to proceed unchecked.
Premier met OpenAI and Apple in the US
The announcement follows Malinauskas’ recent visit to the United States, where he met representatives from several major technology companies.
Those meetings included OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, and Apple.
The Premier said South Australia wanted to embrace AI rather than resist it, but warned that rapid adoption without proper policy could leave governments dealing with serious consequences later.
Lessons from social media reform
The Royal Commission is expected to follow a similar approach to the work previously undertaken by the South Australian government on social media reform.
That inquiry helped shape the debate around restrictions on social media access for children and later contributed to broader national policy discussions.
The government now hopes a similar process can help Australia develop a clearer framework for artificial intelligence.
A debate that will shape the next decade
The commission is likely to become one of the most significant Australian inquiries yet into AI.
The central question will not be whether artificial intelligence should be used.
It already is.
The challenge will be deciding where it should be encouraged, where it needs safeguards and where governments may need to draw limits.
South Australia now wants to position itself at the centre of that debate.
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