Responsible AI for Net Zero: An Australia and India Collaborative Approach Towards Practice, Governance and Ethics in Energy Future

Artificial intelligence (AI) is poised to reshape all parts of the global energy sector. While this critical set of evolving technologies offers vast potential in achieving energy efficiency and sustainable net zero goals, it also presents ethical and security risks. This project – Responsible AI for net zero: An Australia and India Collaborative Approach towards Practice, Governance and Ethics in Energy Future – has been funded by the Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), under the Australia-India Cyber and Critical Technology Partnership (AICCTP) Round 3. It aimed to: (a) Establish current knowledge and ethical principles relevant to AI adoption in energy sector in Australia, India and Indo-Pacific region, (b) Identify key ethical issues shaping the use of AI in developing smart energy systems to achieve ‘net zero’, and (c) Recommend guidelines for translating ethical principles into AI energy governance practice. Drawing on diverse perspectives from across the sector in these two national contexts this report will help policy makers and stakeholders from across the energy sector chart a pathway toward the implementation of responsible AI principles.