Responsible and ethical use can balance the lopsided data equation

The recent Optus and Medibank Private news sharply focuses attention on elements of corporate obligations relating to data. However, according to Annette Slunjski, managing director of the Institute of Analytics Professionals of Australia (IAPA) there is another side to the story.

The responsible and ethical use of data to benefit customers, society and business efficiency continues to be a key consideration if Australia is to flourish in the modern data economy, she believes.

Slunjski told Digital Nation Australia, “Organisations already dedicate budget and resources to secure and protect data and to put strong data governance models in place.

“That becomes a lopsided equation if we don’t extract value from the data – ethically and responsibly – to propel business and organisations forward as part of the global data economy. Data-driven insights should be beneficial to customers, businesses, society and the economy.”

As part of exploring how data-driven insights can advance the economy, IAPA is bringing together over twenty experts from UK, US, Finland, Austria and Australia for a two-day analytics event on 16-17 November.

Organisations such as Victorian Government, Starbucks, The Brookings Institution, The Alan Turing Institute, OP Financial Group, MOSTLY AI (Alexandra Ebert, Chief Trust Officer, pictured), Choice, Lily AI, Catch, UC Berkley, MaxMine and Go1 are set to discuss key issues and questions like: 

• Can artificial intelligence deliver a less biased outcome for employment?
• Could synthetic data be the ethical answer for machine learning modelling
• What might be the real-world impact of the AI audit laws recently passed in New York?
• How can we restore consumer trust in data use? 
• Whether it’s time for all organisations to have a data balance sheet to sit alongside the financial balance sheet.

According to IAPA, the two-day event helps business stakeholders and analytics professionals to understand the “Insights that drive clarity, innovation, understanding and business momentum.”

The event is supported by Google Cloud and is presented as a 2-day program – in-person on 16th November and virtually on 17th November for those in Melbourne – or a single-day virtual program on 17th November for those across the rest of Australia.

Digital Nation Australia audience offer: Digital Nation Australia readers can save up to $45 when purchasing two passes to either the 2-day program or single day virtual program. Use code AA2022DIGITALNATION to access the saving.