Australi.ai Victorian Chapter Panel: What does Sovereign AI mean for Australia

What if we’ve been asking the wrong question about AI safety?

A recent paper, The Harness Is the Contract: Architectural Sovereignty for Regulated AI After Robodebt, challenges the common focus on which AI model is “safe” and instead argues that trustworthy AI outcomes depend on the governance architecture surrounding the model.

The research evaluated multiple AI models across regulated government use cases and found that governance controls, source validation, auditability, and structured decision-making frameworks had a greater impact on performance than the choice of model itself.

For organisations adopting AI, the message is clear:

• Safety is not just a model problem.

• Governance is not just a policy problem.

• Trustworthy AI requires robust systems, controls, and accountability mechanisms.

We’re excited to welcome three of the paper’s authors, Dr Brigitte Lewis, Laura Schaufelberger, and Galina Romantsova, to Melbourne to discuss their findings and what they mean for Australia’s AI future.

 Joining us on the pannel will be Iskra-Nikolova from IBM - Iskra is a technology leader with extensive experience in telecommunications, network infrastructure, and technology strategy. Before joining IBM in 2024, she served as Network & Infrastructure Executive at Telstra and has held senior leadership roles across Australia, Europe, and Asia.

Facilitating for us will be Leigh Gibson - A technology and AI leader with more than 20 years of experience delivering major technology transformations across Australia. She advises organisations on AI adoption and technology strategy and is the co-founder of Technology Executive Women (TEW).

Join us for an engaging conversation exploring AI governance, regulation, assurance, and the practical realities of deploying AI in high-stakes environments.
This is exactly the kind of evidence-based discussion Australi ai exists to foster - bringing together practitioners, researchers, policymakers, and industry leaders to better understand the opportunities and challenges of AI.

Special thanks to IBM for hosting our inaugural event!