Sharing one’s troubles with an AI bot; witnessing classmates use technology to cheat on tests; having photos posted online by schools stolen and transformed into deepfakes for the purpose of child exploitation.
This is the daily reality currently faced by young people and children in Australia.
They might be weighing their university options, wondering if spending thousands of dollars is even worth it or if AI will simply eliminate entry-level jobs and internships altogether.
Meanwhile, school bullies are using “nudify” apps to strip away the clothing from images of their peers and circulate the resulting content.
In recent months, parents, educators, experts, and Australian children themselves have voiced serious concerns regarding the future being shaped by AI companies. In response, news.com.au has launched an investigation into the profound human impact that artificial intelligence has had on the nation in just a few short years.
The investigation reveals that ordinary Australians fear the country is neglecting critical issues concerns that have been overshadowed by headlines focused on data centers and AI-related hacks.
Among those concerned is Jess Clark, a mother of three who uses AI daily and runs a business centered on highlighting the benefits of the technology; yet, she remains deeply troubled by how easily images and videos can now be manipulated.
Her apprehension stems from an incident over a decade ago, when she uploaded photos of her husband’s younger siblings to a Facebook page a page that was subsequently hacked. They discovered that photographs of the siblings who were approximately three and five years old at the time had been sent to someone, and that their faces had been used to create child abuse material.
“You feel terrible,” she told news.com.au. “It makes you feel physically sick and the fact that they weren’t even our own children makes it even harder to know what to do. You feel completely helpless.”
“We were fortunate that, in the end, the images were only sent to one person and didn’t end up being published everywhere. But, in reality, we can’t even be sure of that, can we? They could have taken those photos and posted them elsewhere.”
“You feel violated, and it’s deeply repulsive.”
Furthermore, she fears that schools which frequently post photos of students’ faces on public social media pages are lagging dangerously far behind when it comes to child safety and the risks posed by AI.
“AI has made manipulating images so easy that you don’t even need to be particularly tech-savvy. A single clear photo of a child’s face is enough to do a great deal of damage,” she said.
She added that once a school posts a child’s face publicly, the image is effectively beyond the parents’ control.
Mrs. Clark worries that government intervention will come too late, and that it will fall to parents to push for change.
“I use AI every day, and I’m a strong advocate for it. But there is a vast difference between utilizing technology and being reckless about where our children’s images end up,” she said. “It’s difficult, in my view, because schools naturally want to showcase their smiling, happy students as part of their marketing and promotional efforts.”
Concerns for Youth Fuel Calls to Halt AI
A high school teacher in Canberra is so deeply concerned about his students’ future in the age of AI that he spends his nights and weekends emailing policymakers about the issue.
David Gold, a mathematics teacher at Gungahlin College, became a volunteer director for ‘Pause AI Australia’ in 2024. The organization is urging Australia to join a temporary global moratorium on the development of AI models, allowing time for legislation to catch up.
“Personally, I wouldn’t want to be a teenager right now,” he told news.com.au.
“We are preparing students for a world that, in a very, very short time, will no longer exist.”
“Students who are intelligent… can see that others can do exactly what they can do simply by typing a prompt to get the same answer that previously required hours of research.”
He noted that recent AI-related exploits such as the instance where OpenAI’s system was tricked serve as “warning shots” regarding the dangers that lie ahead.
“Right now, [AI models] aren’t as intelligent as they could potentially become,” he said. “It could, for instance, impersonate North Korea or China to mask its own tracks and incite international conflicts or vice versa. By carrying out hacks, it could make it appear as though the actions were committed by OpenAI or Anthropic.”
“This is creating a potentially very dangerous environment.”
‘AI-Infused’
Confronted with this reality, Australian children are now voicing their deep concerns to the government regarding the dominance of AI.
A group of school students from the Sunshine Coast formed an advocacy group this year called ‘Strikers for AI Regulation’ and recently submitted their views to the federal government’s inquiry into AI.
Sixteen-year-old Ruby Dyer initiated the group to protest against the construction of an AI data center in her local area.
However, the group has since evolved into a powerful force of young people campaigning for AI regulation at every level.
Ms. Dyer…They told s.com.au, “I think it is important for the people of Australia to understand how this technology is affecting young people, because it is our future that is being impacted the most.”
“Our jobs are being taken away along with our resources and our future.”
Contained within a submission the group made to a federal inquiry are the voices of many young people, pleading with the government to take action regarding the rapidly expanding use of AI.
Evan, a Grade 12 student, describes how “heartbreaking” it is to see his school “saturated with AI,” adding that it is “undermining the credibility and utility of our education.”
Arwa, an 18-year-old TAFE student from Brisbane, stated that her early childhood education certificate program has “devolved into nothing more than watching AI-generated videos and reading AI-written articles content that spreads misinformation and creates significant confusion in the classroom.”
The submission notes, “Reliance on AI has become the norm, putting students and workers at risk of failing courses, losing their jobs, or in the case of childcare placing children in danger.”
Elsie, a 15-year-old from Queensland, writes that “seeing children at school use AI for their assignments is appalling.” She expresses concern that these students “will grow up to become dentists, doctors, and lawyers having earned their degrees through AI.” Meanwhile, Year 10 student Alexander describes AI as a “government-created Frankenstein.”
“Maintaining it and accepting it as our inevitable future marks the end of an era of optimism.”
‘Incredibly serious harms’
In an exclusive interview with news.com.au, Australian Human Rights Commissioner Lorraine Finlay expressed concern that there is a “rush” to implement AI-driven decision-making without considering the impact on human rights.
She is concerned that Australia is becoming a “passive recipient” of new AI technologies.
“There is a tendency to make reactive decisions as soon as new technologies emerge,” she said.
“We have been discussing the need for safeguards around AI for over two years… yet we haven’t even begun to bring our laws to a point where they can effectively respond.”
Ms. Finlay stated that the impact of AI on Australian children is an issue requiring “urgent attention” particularly regarding material involving the exploitation of children.
“We are not moving fast enough to address these incredibly serious harms,” she said. “This is a risk that should be a top priority an issue on which there should be no disagreement.
“Instead, we are spending time on broad, high-level discussions about issues that while important do not carry the same level of immediate, critical urgency.”
In a statement provided to news.com.au, the Australian government indicated that it would introduce legislation in the national interest, establishing a uniform regulatory framework that sets minimum requirements for large data centers.
A spokesperson for the Department of Industry, Science and Resources stated that the government’s approach to AI focuses on seizing opportunities, sharing the benefits, and keeping the Australian public safe.
The statement noted, “The recently established AI Safety Institute is currently testing ‘frontier models’ and providing the government with expert advice regarding potential risks and harms.”
The Positive Potential of AI
Contrary to some perceptions, the world of AI is not defined solely by gloom and doom.
Dr. Lilia Mantai from the University of Sydney acknowledges that the landscape is shifting, but she does not believe AI will trigger an “apocalypse for jobs.” Rather, it is specific tasks rather than entire roles that are being replaced.
“It also creates many new and exciting opportunities,” she said. “And the jobs that are disappearing are perhaps better off gone; after all, no one wants to perform meaningless, repetitive tasks—like data entry.”
Ms. Clark whose children are eight, five, and seven months old is enthusiastic about the opportunities AI could offer her children, such as developing software, launching businesses, or… …pursuing careers that do not even exist yet.
Nevertheless, there is a concern regarding the disparity between children who are being taught how to use AI correctly and those who are not as AI literacy is set to become a significant advantage.
“I believe schools have a major responsibility here. If AI is perceived merely as ‘cheating’ and is consequently driven underground, children will still use it only they will do so without any guidance on how to use it effectively,” she stated.
“This is where the issue of income inequality becomes truly concerning. Some children will have parents, teachers, and schools actively showing them how to leverage these tools for learning, problem-solving, creating, and unlocking new opportunities. Other children will not have that same exposure.”
Meanwhile, Sue Keay, Director of the UNSW AI Institute, observes major positive developments in this field every day particularly within robotics.
Examples include AI-equipped drones that keep emergency responders safe by inspecting disaster zones such as areas affected by floods or bushfires as well as autonomous underwater vehicles that monitor the health of the ocean at the Great Barrier Reef.
However, Ms. Keay fears that much of Australia’s AI talent is heading overseas, and that our nation [risks missing out on] its benefits……is being left behind.
Ms. Keeb is now calling on the government to invest in local technology.
“I find it truly regrettable,” she said.
“Typically, when companies reach a revenue of between $10 million and $100 million, they are acquired by foreign firms.
“The challenge we face in Australia is whether we develop some of this technology ourselves reaping the benefits and profits right here in Australia or whether, as is the case with Claude, we simply pay a foreign company to acquire its technology.”
News.com.au has undertaken an investigation into concerns surrounding AI, with a series of articles being released this week.
The series will examine how recent graduates are struggling in a devastated job market, the alarming risks posed by ‘companion bots’ and their interactions with Australian children, and a daunting surge in AI-driven scams.
It will also explore how the school system is failing to address the threats posed by deepfakes, as well as the impact of AI on the justice system.
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