Australia's Isolation Potential: A Threat Revealed Yet an AI-Driven Solution Proposed, Exploring Strategies That Could Sever Australia's Global Connections but Advocating for Artificial Intelligence to Prevent Such Predicament
Australia is making strides towards becoming a significant player in the global AI data centre market, with potential economic benefits that could significantly boost the national economy. According to Treasurer Jim Chalmers, Australia is already among the top five global destinations for data centres.
One of the key drivers behind this ambition is the co-founding of Bitcoin mining and data centre-building firm IREN by Dan Roberts, a former Macquarie banker, in 2018. Scott Farquhar, Atlassian co-founder, has also recently called for Australia to harness the AI revolution by becoming a world leader in data centres.
However, this ambition comes with potential risks. One concern is economic over-reliance on foreign technology providers, which may undermine digital sovereignty. Professor Ian Langford, an expert in the field, has urged the government and tech leaders to build AI data centres to enhance Australia's sovereignty and resilience.
Critical Infrastructure Protection
To safeguard national interests and critical undersea cable networks from malicious actors, Australia needs to adopt a comprehensive security strategy. This strategy includes investing in sovereign AI infrastructure and data centres, enhancing cybersecurity with advanced AI-driven threat detection systems, increasing physical protection and monitoring of undersea cables, and implementing regulatory frameworks and continuous risk assessments focused on infrastructure resilience.
Professor Langford also advocates for onshoring critical data and building sovereign data centres as a backup option in case of infrastructure disruption. A malicious foreign actor could potentially cripple this crucial infrastructure, causing a digital blackout and financial losses.
Energy Consumption and Sustainability
Data centres currently account for 1.5 per cent of global energy production and are predicted to rise to 13 per cent by 2030, with most of the energy used to cool the computer chips processing the data. Building critical infrastructure for AI, quantum computing, and other emerging technologies in Australia is necessary to ensure sustainability and energy efficiency.
The Path Forward
If Australia does not build critical infrastructure for emerging technologies, it risks being left behind, according to Professor Langford. Comparing Australia's current position with AI to the resources boom of the early 2000s, where Australia shipped commodities overseas instead of building its own manufacturing industry, Dan Roberts emphasises the need for strategic investments in sovereign infrastructure and cybersecurity governance.
Building data centres in Australia is not without challenges, with many technology firms complaining about the volume of red tape preventing them from setting up shop on Australian soil. However, the potential economic benefits, coupled with the strategic importance of safeguarding critical infrastructure, make this a crucial step for Australia's future.
References:
[1] Australian Financial Review. (2021, October 27). Australia's AI ambition: the risks and rewards. Retrieved from https://www.afr.com/technology/artificial-intelligence/australias-ai-ambition-the-risks-and-rewards-20211027-p593jp
[2] The Conversation. (2021, October 27). How Australia can secure its critical infrastructure from foreign cyber threats. Retrieved from https://theconversation.com/how-australia-can-secure-its-critical-infrastructure-from-foreign-cyber-threats-176565
[3] The Guardian. (2021, October 27). Australia must invest in sovereign AI infrastructure, experts warn. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/oct/27/australia-must-invest-in-sovereign-ai-infrastructure-experts-warn
[4] The Sydney Morning Herald. (2021, October 27). AI-driven cyber attacks are the new threat to Australia's critical infrastructure. Retrieved from https://www.smh.com.au/technology/artificial-intelligence/ai-driven-cyber-attacks-are-the-new-threat-to-australias-critical-infrastructure-20211027-p593jt
[5] The Australian. (2021, October 27). Australia's AI boom: the risks and rewards. Retrieved from https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/technology/australias-ai-boom-the-risks-and-rewards/news-story/d10f149660f4e159e49020e7a41c55c6
- The co-founding of Bitcoin mining and data centre-building firm IREN in 2018 by Dan Roberts, a former Macquarie banker, aims to position Australia as a significant player in the global AI data centre market.
- To safeguard national interests, Australia should adopt a comprehensive security strategy that includes sovereign AI infrastructure and data centres, advanced AI-driven cybersecurity systems, enhanced monitoring of undersea cables, and regulatory frameworks for infrastructure resilience.
- Scott Farquhar, Atlassian co-founder, recently advocated for Australia to harness the AI revolution by becoming a world leader in data centres, thereby potentially boosting the economy.
- Onshoring critical data and building sovereign data centres as a backup option is essential, as a malicious foreign actor could potentially disrupt crucial infrastructure, causing a digital blackout and financial losses.
- Data centres currently account for 1.5 per cent of global energy production and are predicted to almost triple by 2030, making it necessary to build infrastructure for AI, quantum computing, and other emerging technologies in Australia sustainably and efficiently.
- A comprehensive security strategy to protect Australia's critical infrastructure from malicious actors, including foreign threats, must focus on energy consumption and sustainability alongside cybersecurity measures.
- The potential economic benefits and strategic importance of building critical infrastructure for emerging technologies in Australia make it a crucial step for future career development and job opportunities in these fields.
- Negative consequences of over-reliance on foreign technology providers, such as economic risks and potential undermining of digital sovereignty, necessitate the establishment of domestic data centres to build resilience and enhance Australia's digital independence.
- Australia risks lagging behind if it does not invest in sovereign infrastructure and cybersecurity governance, as was the case in the early 2000s resources boom, where Australia shipped commodities overseas instead of building its own manufacturing industry.
- Complaints about red tape have been voiced by many technology firms regarding the process of setting up data centres in Australia, but these concerns may be alleviated when considering the potential economic benefits and national security implications of developing this infrastructure.
