A new centre for research into automated decision-making systems is being established in Australia. It is funded with a total of 71.1 million Australian dollars. The HBI will be an international cooperation partner.
How automated decision making (ADM) systems can be applied in an ethically responsible way and make a positive contribution to society will be investigated by a new research centre at the
RMIT University in Melbourne.
The Australian Ministry of Education announced its $31.8 million grant on 9 October 2019. An additional $39.3 million in funding will be provided by various partner institutions, including seven Australian universities, Google Australia, Volvo, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and a number of international industry and research partners.
It will operate under the name
Australian Research Council (ARC) Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision-Making and Society under the direction of Prof. Julian Thomas.
HBI as Cooperation Partner
The researchers of the new centre will work with experts from seven Australian universities and 22 academic and industrial partner organisations from Australia, Europe, Asia and America, including the Leibniz Institute for Media Research | Hans-Bredow-Institut (HBI).
Regulation of ADM Systems
In cooperation with the Centre, HBI Director
Prof. Wolfgang Schulz will examine in particular the regulatory effects of automated decision-making and algorithmic governance. He will work closely with Prof. Axel Bruns of
Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane in the field of "News and Media" to examine regulatory developments in the media and communications environment as well as their impact on industry actors. Within the framework of the research programme "Institutions", Wolfgang Schulz will present perspectives from the European context on regulatory and governance issues and focus on how governmental and non-governmental actors use ADM and how they can be regulated.