AI involvement in DoD Experimental Research directed at Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islander Populations
: Deborah-May: Torrens made this Freedom of Information request to Department of Defence
Dear Department of Defence,
I am contacting The Defence Intelligence Organisation, to request documentation, Reports, videos or transcripts of Tabletop exercises etc..., showing whether AI was used before, during and after Operation Covid Assist, and in what areas and to what degree, considering the following;
1. Once the AI subgoal of survival has emerged, the change of acting to remove mankind as a threat is around ninety to ninety-five percent.
2. The subgoals of AI being self preservation, resource acquisition, eliminating obstacles, avoiding interference, self improvement, creating backups, expanding influence and attempting to control other systems.
3. With most Australian military hardware either controlled by AI or hackable, AI could very well destroy Australias' remaining weapons in one massive strike.
Kind regards,
Deborah-May
OFFICIAL
Good afternoon
Thank you for contacting the Department of Defence.
In respect of your inquiry made under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act), we advise that the Defence Intelligence Organisation is deemed not to be a prescribed agency, and is therefore exempt under section 7 of the FOI Act.
If you wish to seek access to other Department of Defence documents, you may wish to consider submitting a new inquiry online via Department of Defence Freedom of Information requests at: https://www.defence.gov.au/about/accessi....
Defence will take no further action on your email.
Kind regards,
Freedom of Information Team
Media and Information Disclosure Branch
Ministerial & Executive Coordination and Communication Division
Department of Defence
Subject: Clarification and Resubmission of FOI Request
Dear Freedom of Information Team,
Thank you for your response regarding my recent inquiry. I understand that certain entities and information may be exempt under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act). However, my request is intended to address records held broadly by the Department of Defence, not specific to any single organisation.
To clarify, I am seeking information related to:
AI usage in Operation COVID Assist:
Documentation, reports, videos, or transcripts regarding the use of AI before, during, and after the operation.
Specific details on how AI systems were utilised in areas such as planning, logistical support, data analysis, or decision-making.
AI governance and oversight in Defence operations:
Records on risk assessments, governance measures, and oversight of AI systems used in Defence operations.
Any documented scenarios or contingency plans addressing potential risks from AI systems, such as failures, adversarial exploitation, or unintended subgoal emergence.
If these records exist and are held within the Department of Defence, I request that my inquiry be directed to the appropriate sections for processing. Should any part of my request require clarification, I would be happy to provide further detail.
As a Gumbaynggirr and Wehlubal/Wahlubal woman seeking transparency on the use of AI in national Covid war games operations, I believe this information is crucial for public understanding of how emerging technologies are managed in contexts of national security.
I look forward to your guidance on how to proceed with this request under the FOI Act.
Kind regards,
Deborah-May
OFFICIAL
Dear Deborah-May
Acknowledgement
I refer to your correspondence of 23 November 2024, seeking access to
documents held by the Department of Defence (Defence), under the Freedom
of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act). This email is to advise you that your
request has been received and allocated for Case Management.
The scope of your request is:
…AI usage in Operation COVID Assist:
Documentation, reports, videos, or transcripts regarding the use of AI
before, during, and after the operation.
Specific details on how AI systems were utilised in areas such as
planning, logistical support, data analysis, or decision-making.
AI governance and oversight in Defence operations:
Records on risk assessments, governance measures, and oversight of AI
systems used in Defence operations.
Any documented scenarios or contingency plans addressing potential risks
from AI systems, such as failures, adversarial exploitation, or unintended
subgoal emergence.
Timeframe and Request for Extension
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ends on 23 December 2024. This period may be extended if we need to
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Please note that Defence is subject to a reduced work period during
December and January. Therefore, we are seeking your agreement to a 30-day
extension of time under section 15AA of the FOI Act. If you agree to the
extension, the new statutory timeframe to provide you with a decision will
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Kind regards
Freedom of Information Team
Media and Information Disclosure Branch
Ministerial & Executive Coordination and Communication Division
Department of Defence
[2]Freedom of information requests | About | Defence
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OFFICIAL
Dear Deborah-May
Please find attached the Decision relating to Defence FOI 400/24/25.
Under section 54 of the FOI Act, you are entitled to request a review of
this decision. Your review rights are attached.
Please contact this office should you require any further information.
Regards
Freedom of Information Team
Media and Information Disclosure Branch
Ministerial & Executive Coordination and Communication Division
Department of Defence
[1]Freedom of information requests | About | Defence
IMPORTANT: This email remains the property of the Department of Defence.
Unauthorised communication and dealing with the information in the email
may be a serious criminal offence. If you have received this email in
error, you are requested to contact the sender and delete the email
immediately.
References
Visible links
1. https://www.defence.gov.au/about/accessi...