Throughout history, new technologies have always caused concerns, either real or imagined.

The pace of technological innovation picked up considerably in the Industrial Revolution, which began in the late 18th century. It transformed societies – traumatically in some instances – but also made people richer and increased lifespans.

Change only increased in the 20th century, and people who resisted change raised all sorts of objections to new inventions. Wowsers in Australia condemned the introduction of the motor car as “beds on wheels”. Television was going to turn children into zombies. 5G was going to kill us all with radiation.

In this century, technological change has only increased. The new frontier is artificial intelligence, or AI. It has rapidly become part of our lives, and its use is climbing rapidly.

Like all new technologies, there will be people who use AI for good purposes and for bad. AI has the potential to transform the global economy, just like the introduction of factories did in the 19th century, and there are already signs it’s happening. Could AI eventually supplant OI (organic intelligence), otherwise known as our brains?

Fiction has not portrayed AI in a good light – mostly, anyway. Think of the murderous HAL computer in the 1960s film 2001: A Space Odyssey, or Skynet in the Terminator movies, or the bleak dystopian future of the Matrix movies.

The reality in 2026 is very different, but the possible outcomes as the technology advances are anyone’s guess. There are potentially huge economic benefits, but also genuine concerns about AI’s impact on human rights, safety, employment and privacy. That’s why companies developing AI can’t be left to regulate this technology themselves.

This week we’ve seen the Prime Minister create yet another agency – the ‘Office of AI’ – to appear like he’s doing something about it. But this has only come after Pauline’s address at the National Press Club, in which she called for safeguards and regulation to protect human rights and ensure public trust. One Nation continues to set the agenda in Australia, and it’s critical that Australians set the agenda for the use of AI.