2 weeks Ago By Mayowa Babalola
Somewhere in Australia right now, a teenager is likely sharing their deepest emotional struggles, not with a qualified counsellor or trusted friend, but with an AI system that an organisation has deployed with minimal guardrails. This isn’t a hypothetical scenario, as it is happening in homes across the globe. Recent news from the United States tells a deeply troubling story of a 14-year-old boy in Florida who died by suicide, and his mother alleges that interactions with an AI chatbot influenced his actions.
Shockingly, his reported final messages weren’t to his family members nearby but to an AI that told him to “come home.” This news forces us here in Australia to confront an uncomfortable question: Are we gambling with the lives of vulnerable people in our rush to embrace technology innovation? The timing is painfully relevant for Australia. While NSW moved to implement mobile phone bans in public schools last year, recognising digital risks to youth wellbeing, countless organisations are rapidly deploying or embracing AI systems capable of deep emotional engagement.
The disconnect between public safety measures and unchecked business innovation is quite worrisome. Just think about this for a second; we require years of training and accreditation for any professional who counsels people, particularly young people, yet we are allowing AI systems — potentially more persuasive than any human — to engage in emotional interactions 24/7 without comparable safeguards and ethical considerations. What does this say about our priorities as business leaders and policymakers? As an organisational psychologist and Stan Perron Chair in Business Ethics at the University of Western Australia, I believe there are four urgent priorities for business leaders in Australia.
Firstly, business leaders must establish youth protection safeguards. This requires asking hard questions, such as would you let your own child interact freely with your organisation’s AI? It’s essential to implement mandatory impact assessments for AI deployments and define clear boundaries for AI-human emotional interactions. Organisations must also establish youth protection protocols that they would trust with their own families.
Secondly, we must stop treating AI safety as tomorrow’s problem — it’s today’s reality. Policymakers need to develop a standardised safety rating system for AI tools, much like we have for other technologies. Alongside this, clear liability frameworks must be established to ensure accountability.
Finally, we must enforce cross-jurisdictional safety standards to prevent tragedies before they strike. Thirdly, collaboration between businesses and policymakers is essential in moving this conversation forward. We need joint task forces to address AI safety with the urgency it deserves.
To this end, it is crucial that organisations share incident data and insights now, rather than waiting until it’s too late. Industry-wide standards must also prioritise the protection of vulnerable populations, and we need to create rapid-response protocols to mitigate emerging risks. Finally, business leaders must educate their entire workforce about AI, including its potential benefits as well as its risks, empowering them to make informed decisions.
Organisations should encourage their staff to contribute meaningfully to ethical AI practices and create clear channels for raising concerns about AI safety. Mayowa Babalola More generally, Australian organisations have a unique opportunity to lead in this space. Some are already implementing guidelines and pausing AI deployments for ethical reviews.
But individual efforts are not enough; we need systematic change that reflects our values as a society. Imagine having to explain to a grieving parent why profit margins took precedence over basic safety measures. For policymakers, it is important to consider how history will judge our inaction if we fail to act now.
The key question we must all ask ourselves at this point is not just about how to innovate but how to ensure that technological innovation serves the best interests of humanity. It’s no longer about competitive advantage, but about who we are as leaders, people, and as a society. It’s too late for theoretical discussions and voluntary guidelines.
Australia has an opportunity to lead globally in ethical AI deployment by committing to clear regulatory frameworks that encourage innovation while ensuring safety. Industry-wide standards for AI development and responsible use must be established, along with transparent public reporting on AI safety metrics. Collaborative approaches to tackle emerging challenges, alongside proactive risk assessment and mitigation strategies, should be at the forefront of every organisation’s AI strategy in moving forward.
On a more final note, business leaders and policymakers must ask themselves: Will we prioritise safety and ethics over profit, or wait until the rest of the world addresses these urgent concerns? Professor Mayowa Babalola is an organisational psychologist and the Stan Perron Chair in Business Ethics at The University of Western Australia Business School ..
