Australia is looking to regulate the growth of artificial intelligence technologies, and may consider bans in areas deemed high-risk.
The technologies have the potential for breakthroughs in such things as creating new medical treatments and preventing online fraud.
However, there are concerns about its safe, responsible and ethical use.
Industry Minister Ed Husic on Thursday released two papers to spur public discussion on the issue.
Mr Husic said the government wanted to reaffirm confidence in the community that laws were fit for purpose.
“I don’t think self-regulation in this case is what people will necessarily be comfortable with,” he told ABC News.
“We want to get ahead of these things instead of having the laws lag.
“We’re responding relatively quickly to recent developments.”
Asked whether the government was considering a ban in some circumstances, Mr Husic said it would examine it where there was a “clear high risk”.
“We want people to have their say, but clearly where there are things that the public are saying in very loud terms that they want us to be able to respond and manage,” he said.
“Then we want to have those options on the table.”
Leaders in the AI space have recently warned of the threat it may pose to humanity, and likened the risk to that of pandemics and nuclear war.
The May budget invested $41 million for the responsible development of the technology through the National AI Centre, and a new responsible AI adoption program for small and medium enterprises.
Australia was one of the first countries to adopt AI ethics principles.
– AAP
