In a world of AI, what does it mean to be human? In this episode of Tech Mirror, host Johanna Weaver speaks with one of Australia’s foremost ethicists, Simon Longstaff, from the Ethics Centre. Together, they make the case for ethics in the wider AI discourse. They discuss why Simon urges Australians to demand more than a social licence for AI arguing instead for a social compact. Johanna and Simon explore how concepts like purpose, trust, and accountability can help guide the responsible development of AI while confronting “just because we can do something with AI, should we?”

Links

Will AI be the risk we chose not to see? | The Ethics Centre

The Ethics Centre
https://ethics.org.au/

Australia’s AI Ethics Principles | Department of Industry, Science, and Resources https://www.industry.gov.au/publications/australias-ai-ethics-principles?utm_source=chatgpt.com

For transcript and full show notes visit techpolicy.au/podcast

With countries and tech stakeholders rapidly moving to claim AI in their interest, such as the US government’s move to restrict non-citizens' access to platforms like Claude, what does it mean for Australians to have control over their technological future? AI is becoming closely linked to Australia’s economy, security, and everyday life. It’s time to discuss what having AI Agency looks like now and into the future.

In this episode of Tech Mirror, host Johanna Weaver is joined by Tech Policy Design Institute co-founder and lead researcher Zoe Hawkins to unpack their latest report Expanding AI Sovereignty to AI Agency. Together, they explore why Australia needs to move beyond simplistic debates to uncover how Australia’s tech movement holds strategic advantages that build both leverage and resilience when global events expose geopolitical uncertainty.

Links:
Anthropic to disable its most advanced AI models after US order limiting foreign access | The Guardian

Tech Policy Design Institute – AI Agency Report
https://techpolicy.au/aiagency

Tech Policy Design Institute
https://techpolicy.au

Australia's National AI Plan
https://www.industry.gov.au/publications/national-ai-capability-plan

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) – AI
https://oecd.ai

Anthropic
https://www.anthropic.com

For transcript and full show notes visit techpolicy.au/podcast

The nature of work and jobs is being reshaped by artificial intelligence. Is it the building block to a worker utopia, or a more bleak, disruptive reality? In this episode of Tech Mirror, host Johanna Weaver sits down with Joseph Mitchell from the Australian Council of Trade Unions to unpack the opportunities, risks, and power dynamics brought on by the rollout of AI in workplaces around Australia. He argues that AI is being used increasingly to meet new efficiency benchmarks and worker surveillance. Johanna and Joseph ask, can the voice of unions, policy makers, and individuals shape what happens next, and will the future of work remain deeply human — even in an AI-driven world?   Links: Australian Council of Trade Unions: www.actu.org.au Encyclical Letter, Magnifica Humanitas, of His Holiness Pope Leo XiV, on safeguarding  the human person on the time of artificial intelligence: https://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiv/en/encyclicals/documents/20260515-magnifica-humanitas.html    Fair Work Commission: https://www.fwc.gov.au?utm_source National Employment Standards (Fair Work Ombudsman): https://www.fairwork.gov.au/employment-conditions/national-employment-standards Daron Acemoglu  

• MIT Economics: https://economics.mit.edu/people/faculty/daron-acemoglu
• Building pro-worker artificial intelligence https://economics.mit.edu/sites/default/files/2026-03/Building%20Pro-Worker%20Artificial%20Intelligence.pdf 

  For transcript and full show notes visit techpolicy.au/podcast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Prepare to meet some amazing individuals who are using technology for social justice. This episode was recorded live at the Technology for Social Justice conference - Australia’s premier not-for-profit technology capability building, upskilling, networking and awards event, celebrating and exploring how technology can enable leaders to amplify impact.  Johanna sat down to chat with CEO of Infoexchange, David Spriggs, and Infoexchanges strategic lead Tish Tambakau to talk about the origins of the conference and a new Program to support NFP tech adoption. Then she dives into conversation with Joey Esguerra from Uniting to learn about about how AI in being the care sector. Patima Tantiprasut, CEO of Pet Rescue shares how technology is helping keep pets in loving homes; Jess Wilson, CEO of Good Things Australia and Hiba Ayas, the multicultural team leader from Whittlesea Community Connections share inspiring stories of digital programs empowering women; and Suzie Riddell, the head of evidence and impact at the Smith Family talks about how access to the right tech can help set a young person on a positive trajectory. This one is a special episode: prepare to be inspired. Links: Pet Rescue: https://www.petrescue.com.au/  Good Things Australia: https://goodthingsaustralia.org/   Digital Sisters Program: https://goodthingsaustralia.org/our-programs/digital-sisters/ Smith Family:  www.thesmithfamily.com.au  For transcript and full show notes visit techpolicy.au/podcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This episode marks the launch of TIPD's new research around AI, trust and regulation on 5 May in Parramatta. It begins with Johanna speaking with the Assistant Minister for Science, Technology and the Digital Economy, Dr Andrew Charlton, followed by his keynote where he sets out the Government’s plan when it comes to AI and how to get the Australian public to trust and invest in AI. Next up TPDi Co-founder, Zoe Hakwins, presents the key findings of the research, followed by a lively panel discussion which brings to the research to life with each speaker taking on one of the 4 ‘Australian AI personas’: 

• Jess Wilson (CEO Good Things Australia) representing Australia’s Regulation-enabled adopters (45%) are the persuadable majority – open to AI but waiting for clear safeguards 

• Lailei Huang (Founder & Chair Western Sydney Tech Innovators) representing Australia’s Tech champions (28%) see regulation as an economic enabler 

• Peter Lewis (Host of Burning Platforms and What’s your Poison) representing Australia’s Entrenched sceptics (15%) who want protection first, over unconstrained AI promotion  
• George Trigenis (TPDi Youth Ambassador) representing Australia’s Self-assured adopters (12%) prefer to navigate AI on their own terms. 

Links: Read the Research Spotlight: Earning Trust - unlocking adoption for Australians: https://techpolicy.au/earning-trust For transcript and full show notes visit techpolicy.au/podcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Johanna discusses Australia’s draft Children’s Online Privacy Code with Privacy Commissioner Carly Kind and Director of the Code Taskforce Kate Bower. They discuss how the proposed privacy code will work and how it will shape and benefit young people’s privacy in the future, with the potential for positive spillover for all users regardless of age. Carly and Kate also answer questions sent in by TPDi’s three youth ambassadors. Listen to the episode and provide your input on the draft code - consultations open until 5 June 2026!  Links: OAIC Privacy for Kids (for copy of the draft code, and loads of great resources for parents and kids): https://www.oaic.gov.au/privacy/privacy-for-kids  Participate in a Roundtable on the draft Code: https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=Ff0M3VhFEkuLreommE_EF05_L5kDbTNEstNjz43Wa4FURUNIODE2Ulg0TVRSWlJHQzAzSzVYT0M4MSQlQCN0PWcu Recap the way the Code might work with Digital Duty of Care: https://techpolicy.au/podcast/part-5-next-steps-australia-v-social-media-mini-series For transcript and full show notes visit techpolicy.au/podcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Johanna looks at whether the past can give us clues about the future with Carl Benedikt Frey, Dieter Schwarz Associate Professor of AI & Work at the Oxford Internet Institute and writer of How Progress Ends: Technology, Innovation, and the Fate of Nations. They talk about whether progress will end in the context of technology, innovation and (of course) artificial intelligence. They also discuss past events like the industrial revolution and US Gilded Age can tell us about the current technological direction humanity is taking. In keeping with Tech Mirror’s deep dive into Tech and Geopolitics, Johanna and Carl also discuss who will succeed in the rise of AI - the US or China? And Carl answers the big question: is progress ending in the US?  Links: Carl’s book - How Progress Ends: https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691233079/how-progress-ends For transcript and full show notes visit techpolicy.au/podcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the next deep dive into tech and geopolitics, Johanna Weaver sits down with Tim Coghlan, an Australia global tech and China economy analyst living in Beijing.They talk about geostrategic competition, from the perspective of China. Tim talks about how China has embraced AI, even down to the neighbourhood running track. From China’s strengths, to its vulnerabilities, Tim and Johanna discuss how China is moving forward as a major tech power, how its approach contrasts with the US, and what this means for middle powers like Australia.  Links: Tim’s USSC article: https://www.ussc.edu.au/intelligent-everything-china-s-policy-to-supercharge-ai-adoption Lowy Interpreter Article: https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/real-ai-gap-between-china-west-isn-t-chips-or-models-stories-we-tell Kyle Chan’s Substack: High Capacity: https://substack.com/@kyleichan Jordan Schneider’s Substack: China Talk:  https://substack.com/@chinatalk  For transcript and full show notes visit techpolicy.au/podcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the first episode in a deep dive into tech and geopolitics, Johanna Weaver sits down with Martijn Rasser, Vice-President of Technology Leadership at the US Special Competitive Studies Project (SCSP). The pair talk about strategic technology competition between the US & China, and what this means for middle power countries like Australia. They also discuss SCSP’s new ‘Tech Scorecards’, the Pax Silica agreement, how conflict in the Middle East is impacting global semi-conductors supply chains, Anthropic’s battle with the US Department of War, and President Trump’s approach to tech policy.  Links SCSP’s Tech Scorecard: https://scorecard.scsp.ai Pax Silica declaration (original, from December 2025): https://www.industry.gov.au/publications/pax-silica-declaration-countries-attending-pax-silica-summit-12-december-2025  TPDi’s AI Agency Discussion Draft: www.techpolicy.au/ai-agency  For transcript and full show notes visit techpolicy.au/podcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode Johanna Weaver catches up with Jess Wilson, CEO of Good Things; David Masters, Head of Global Public Policy at Atlassian; Lizzie O’Shea, Chair of Digital Rights Watch;  Nick Davis, Co-Director at the UTS Human Technology Institute; and  Meredith Hodgman, Head of Strategy from the Tech Policy Design Institute.  Each of them attended the  recent AI Action Summit in Delhi, a conference that started in at Bletchley Park in 2023 and is now one of the largest gatherings of AI experts in the world. The summits started with a firm focus on safety and existential risk, but have evolved progressively - the focus in India was opportunity & impact. Our guests share what it was like on the ground in Delhi and what their main takeaways have been. Sovereignty, social impact, and human capital are just some of the themes traversed in this episode.  Links AI Impact Summit Communique: https://d19ob9sqegt2wc.cloudfront.net/stage/uploads/AI_Impact_Summit_Declaration_f208574dfc.pdf  A/Minister Charton’s Speech: https://www.minister.industry.gov.au/ministers/charlton/speeches/speech-australian-business-economists-conference Collective Intelligence Project Global Dialogues: https://www.cip.org/globaldialogues  TPDi’s AI Sovereignty to AI Agency Discussion Paper: https://techpolicy.au/ai-agency   For transcript and full show notes visit techpolicy.au/podcast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.