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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
Environment
Graham Readfearn Environment and climate correspondent

Using AI to speed up Australia’s environmental approvals risks ‘robodebt-style’ failures, scientists say

Environment Extinction the Biodiversity Council
Curragh coalmine near Blackwater, Queensland.
Curragh coalmine near Blackwater, Queensland. Experts say instead of using AI to speed up assessments, the government should employ more people to carry them out. Photograph: IconsAustralia/Alamy

Conservationists and scientists have warned a mining lobby proposal to use artificial intelligence to speed up national environmental approvals could generate “robodebt-style” failures, putting threatened species at further risk.

The Minerals Council of Australia has asked the government to spend $13m to trial the use of AI to help companies prepare applications and help the federal government make decisions.

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