TPDi has bolstered its leadership, today announcing new independent board members and distinguished technical fellows.TPDi has bolstered its leadership, today announcing new independent board members and distinguished technical fellows.

As the Australian Parliament grapples with how to best respond to rapidly evolving technologies, the Parliamentary Friends of Tech Policy provides a valuable forum to discuss practical and evidence-based tech policy.   Marking the Groups establishment in the 48th Parliament, and supported by Tech Policy Design Institute, this week the Group hosted Tech Policy Shark Tank Ai Priorities For This Term at Parliament House.

On Wednesday 6 August, the Tech Policy Design Institute hosted Minister Ayres, policymakers, industry leaders, civil society, and technologists at Salesforce Tower, Sydney to celebrate the: Launch of TPDi’s Tech Policy Design Fund and Release of TPDi’s latest Tech Policy Spotlight, Tetris for Australia’s Future: Aligning Our National AI Priorities.

In the Tech Wars issue of Australian Foreign Affairs, TPDi Co-Founders, Johanna Weaver and Zoe Jay Hawkins, call for Australian leadership to help shape the evolving global order and the technologies that underpin it.

𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝘂𝘁𝗲 𝘀𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗶𝗴𝗻𝘁𝘆 is a loaded term, but an increasingly popular one. So what is it, who has it, and do you even want it? TPDi Deputy Director Zoe Jay Hawkins and colleagues Vili Lehdonvirta and Bóxī Wú (Oxford Internet Institute, University of Oxford & Aalto University) have released new research answering these questions, which has been covered in the New York Times.

Tech Policy vibes were high at Parliament on 10 February.   TPDi was thrilled to host our third annual #TechFutures event in partnership with auDA – Australia’s domain name administrator – as the gala event of the Parliamentary Friends of Tech Policy.   TechFutures25 brought together politicians, officials, civil society advocates, industry, innovators, and scholars in Parliament House to debate the tech policy issues that will shape Australia’s next election.

Unveiled today, the Tech Policy Design Institute (TPDi), is Australia’s first independent think tank dedicated to technology policy, marking a pivotal step forward for Australia’s tech landscape.

This landmark initiative unveils Australia’s first telecommunications sector resilience profile, a world-first report from The Australian National University (ANU) Tech Policy Design Centre (TPDC).

As governments around the world grapple with how to govern AI, the physical location of the digital infrastructure that underpins this new foundational technology becomes increasingly important. TPDC Head of Policy has co-authored a new academic journal article mapping the location of AI compute around the world. This research is the first audit of its kind and has been covered by TIME Magazine.

In August, the Tech Policy Design Centre launched its much awaited Foundations of Tech Policy course at the beautiful Australian National Botanic Gardens in Canberra.   This interdisciplinary course focuses on the ‘how’ and ‘why’ of tech policy design and practice, including a methodological framework and guiding principles for best-practice policy design and deep dives into contemporary technologies and tech policy issues. 

We call on political candidates to sign up to a Pledge for Digital Transparency in Campaigning (DigiTIC), committing to: use content credentials on whatever services they are available; and add a visible disclaimer where GenAI is used to deceptively fake or alter the appearance, voice, or actions of political candidates, election officials, and other key stakeholders in a democratic election

The Tech Policy Design Centre hosted Audrey Tang, former Minister of Digital Affairs of Taiwan in Canberra. Their insights sparked engaging conversations about how AI can be a force for democratic good—drawing on Taiwan’s experience—how governments can listen more deeply to their citizens through technology, and why embracing diversity—the concept of plurality—is crucial for a thriving society.

We had the privilege of hosting Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen in Canberra, where she met with policymakers and media to share her thoughts on the political debate surrounding banning under 16s from social media. During her visit, Frances equipped policymakers with key research and insights, pointing out that the current incentives in the tech industry will not drive the change we need. She stressed that transparency—whether in platforms’ censorship practices, advertising databases, or the management of viral content—is the real game-changer.

TPDC welcomed the opportunity to have a say in the statutory review into the operation of the Online Safety Act 2021 (the Act).

#TechPolicyFutures24 brought together politicians, officials, civil society advocates, industry, innovators, and scholars in Parliament House to talk about designing the technology we want to see tomorrow.   We were thrilled to host our second annual Tech Futures event, in partnership with .auDA, Australia’s domain name administrator.

TPDC submitted a response to the Select Committee Inquiry on Adopting Artificial Intelligence (AI). Australia must embrace AI technologies by seizing the potential economic, productivity and efficiency benefits it can offer the nation, while managing the risks that it poses, including to democracy. TPDC is optimistic that this balance can be achieved.

If you could design the perfect tech policy education course, what would it look like? At TPDC, we’re on a mission to do just that. In our recent Education Co-Design Workshop, we brought together experts from government, industry, and civil society and academia to explore what the ideal curriculum should entail.  

Tech Policy Design Centre hosted Ms. Frances Haugen to discuss Big Tech’s accountability and transparency at Old Parliament House and The Australian National University.  

Digital identity has the power to unlock productivity, security and convenience for Australian citizens, businesses and governments. So, it was the perfect topic for our second Tech Policy Hypotheticals event with our Parliamentary Friends of Tech Policy in Parliament House on 14 February 2024.  

The Australian National University (ANU) has bolstered its commitment to helping the nation respond to the societal impacts of rapidly evolving technology, with the ANU Tech Policy Design Centre (TPDC) being made a permanent centre of the University. To mark its transition from a pilot to a permanent centre, TPDC today announces the development of Australia’s first dedicated tech policy curriculum and an expanded research agenda, supported by a new Independent Advisory Board, which meets today for the first time.