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AI in Mining Approvals Risks Extinction, Experts Warn
6 Apr
Summary
- AI in environmental approvals could cause 'Robodebt-style' failures.
- Conservationists fear species extinction from flawed AI decisions.
- Clearer environmental rules are proposed as an alternative.
Conservationists and scientists are raising alarms about a proposal to use artificial intelligence (AI) to expedite national environmental approvals for mining projects in Australia. The Minerals Council of Australia has requested $13 million to trial AI for preparing applications and aiding government decisions. However, experts from the Biodiversity Council warn this could result in 'Robodebt-style' failures, where computers make flawed, non-transparent decisions.
These concerns stem from the current environmental law, the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act, which features vague language and broad ministerial discretion. Experts argue that without clear rules, AI is ill-suited for decision-making, potentially exacerbating the risk to threatened species. They suggest that establishing clear National Environmental Standards would significantly speed up assessments, even without AI.
Skepticism also surrounds the accuracy of AI, as its decisions depend on data quality, which is often lacking for Australia's threatened species, including basic location data. The Minerals Council, however, defends the proposal, stating AI tools would support human decision-making and improve efficiency. The federal government indicated that while AI might assist in making applications easier, final approval decisions would remain with human officers.
