On this episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, we explore the benefits and risks of artificial intelligence and digital media, how Australia and the globe should go about regulating tech advancements, and the role lawyers play in this area.

Host Jess Feyder spoke with Shane Budden, special counsel in ethics at the Queensland Law Society, about the critical juncture point we are at in the need to regulate new and existing technological inventions, while ensuring doing so in a way that its benefits are not suppressed for individuals and society.

The pair discuss where Australia is at with regulating tech, the major harms facing Australian society, and how Australia can be at the forefront of understanding and regulating new tech creations.

They also talk about how Australia can navigate regulation on a global level and the need to bring tech companies “along for the ride”, delve into the current look of prosecution against tech companies, and how the area may evolve.

Finally, the pair discuss the role of the lawyer, the unique skills and understanding lawyers possess that makes them well placed to tackle issues that new tech poses, and what lawyers can do to assure tech is harnessed in a way that is beneficial for society.

Ethics and regulation of tech creations and the role of the lawyer