By Lucinda Garbutt-Young in Canberra

Australians are at risk of losing jobs or being trapped in unethical situations as artificial intelligence use soars, despite the hopes of the federal government, an expert has warned.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese used a speech in mid-July to warn there was a narrow window for Australia to develop robust AI frameworks.

He said he wanted jobs created, not lost, in a technological shake-up he called more significant than the advent of social media.

But the government’s ideals were unlikely to become reality, University of Canberra AI expert Ryan Payne said, noting change was already afoot.

“If you think about any major transition in society, there has always been a change in jobs, even if there isn’t a reduction,” he said.

Mr Albanese’s speech – which Dr Payne described as “lots of huff and puff” – did not clearly outline a system for transparency and accountability to protect workers.

More information is expected in the coming months following industry consultation.

“When the horseless carriage came into play, we no longer needed many blacksmiths. This is an old concept,” Dr Payne said.

“Whether we are going to lose jobs or not is not clear, but there is always an idea that we will have to keep upskilling jobs … that’s not always realistic.”

He said older workers, particularly those nearing retirement, were unlikely to take on hefty upskilling requirements, which would leave them behind professionally.

Australians younger than 25 were also struggling to secure professional roles, as their over-familiarity with AI meant employers perceived them as lacking critical thinking, Dr Payne said.

There was also the looming question of ethics.

Australia’s Fair Work and Privacy Acts allow people to change employers if AI is not being used ethically – including to harvest personal details to train machines – something Dr Ryan said did not work in practice.

Those in tight or highly trained job markets, such as academics or doctors, were unlikely to be able to change jobs easily, potentially locking them into unethical situations.

“Systems are being set up to force people to accept them without there being any other alternative and people have to comply,” Dr Payne said, referring to a practice known as compliance system design.

Job security is likely to be a key topic of discussion at Labor’s annual conference, which starts in Adelaide on Thursday.