Artificial intelligence has yet to negatively impact hiring of graduates, although some occupations are starting to show signs of softening, says Employment Minister Amanda Rishworth.
In a keynote address on Tuesday, Ms Rishworth will preview new government data showing the effects of AI on the jobs market as she announces a new forum bringing together employer groups and unions in a big to increase collaboration in the technology’s roll-out.
“Pleasingly, employment outcomes for young tertiary graduates have been positive, despite some expectations that they could be the ‘canaries in the coalmine’ for AI in the workplace,” she will tell the AFR Workforce Summit in Sydney.
“We are not seeing an elevated rate of compositional change, meaning that the mix of jobs in the economy is not changing faster than usual.
“However, we are starting to see a slight softening in the rate of growth for occupations that are most exposed to AI adoption, like filing clerks or keyboard operators.”
The government has been attempting to balance union concerns that unleashing AI on workplaces with no oversight would impact job security with employer warnings that over-regulating the technology would threaten a potential productivity boon.
Labor ministers, including Ms Rishworth, Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Assistant Minister for Productivity Andrew Leigh, have touted the productivity-boosting potential of AI.
But Ms Rishworth will say it is crucial workers are brought along on the journey and that the benefits of AI are shared, which is why dialogue between government, unions and business is so important.
“One of the ways I am building this dialogue is through the newly elevated AI Employment and Workplaces Forum,” she will say, according to an excerpt of the speech.
The new forum, including the secretary of the Australian Council of Trade Unions and chief executives of employer groups such as the Business Council Australia and Australian Industry Group, will meet for the first time in Adelaide on Wednesday.
Top of the agenda: how to build trust around AI adoption.
That could mean employers ensuring employees are given input into how AI is used in their workplace, for instance.
Themes of capability, transparency, safety and productivity will also be discussed by the forum.
“These themes will shape our discussions on how we can build common understanding, and translate these themes into agreed outcomes,” Ms Rishworth will say.
At an economic roundtable in August 2025, Dr Chalmers announced the government would conduct a gap analysis to see whether existing legislation was adequate to regulate AI or whether it would require one overarching bill.
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