Australian workers should “take a breath” and relax about the impact artificial intelligence will have on their careers as the jobs it displaces will ultimately be replaced with others.
Google Australia managing director Melanie Silva issued the advice at the QUT Business Leaders’ Forum in Brisbane on Friday, where she compared AI technology to the arrival of electricity and the internet.
The tech executive called for more myth-busting conversations about the environmental and social impact of building data centres to fuel the AI boom, saying they could help spark renewable energy projects.
Her comments come after the federal government launched a Senate inquiry into the spread and regulation of data centres, and days after Sydney Water warned the developments could consume more water than beer breweries within a decade.
Artificial intelligence would be vital to the future of the global economy, Ms Silva told the sold-out event, and would have a turbulent but ultimately positive effect on jobs.
“I just think we need to take a breath,” she said.
“There is going to be disruption, there will be, but let’s have a balanced conversation about how we manage through that disruption, how we do not squander the opportunity that this is going to create for us and for the country, because it’s massive and it’s not going to wait.”
Ms Silva pointed to research from the World Economic Forum that found 92 million jobs would be displaced in the coming decade, but 170 million new positions would be created.
The AI-driven revolution would be similar to changes brought on by the advent of electricity or the arrival of the internet, she said, with some roles disappearing but business would adapt.
More data centres would be needed to support the spread of AI but Ms Silva said they could be accompanied by renewable energy projects to ensure they were sustainable and did not raise electricity prices.
“There is, I think, a little bit of myth-busting potentially on what these data centres can do and, again, I would urge a more balanced conversation around these things,” she said.
“Australia, in particular, could be using these as catalysts to really spur renewable energy.”
Google supported the federal government’s five expectations for data centres, Ms Silva said, including investments in clean energy and transparent reporting about water use.
Technology firms operate 162 data centres across Australia, according to a recent Climate Council report, with another 90 planned.
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