Capability 5.4.1
General Public AI Literacy & Engagement
Definition
Skills for for people to understand and use AI safely and confidently. This includes skills to teach AI literacy and education, awareness of bias and privacy, and the intergenerational capacity to question, engage with and refuse AI in daily life and at work (as appropriate).
Examples
- AI for Everyone' Microskills (NAIC and partners)
- CSIRO Our Future World forums and ADM+S public trust research on AI in society.
Indicators
- Percentage of workforce completing baseline AI or digital literacy microcredentials
- Inclusion of AI literacy modules in state/territory school curricula
- Regional participation in AI-for-Everyone programs
National AI Plan
PLAN COMMITMENT
Limited commitment
Recognises the need for general public AI literacy, including example of Good Things Australia (Action 5), but no clear system-level ownership or national framework for building consistent AI literacy capability across the population. Limited commitment by government is a missed opportunity to increase domestic maturity in a globally scarce capability with high public interest value. If action is not taken to close this gap, the plan's goal to spread the benefits of AI will not be achieved.
Stocktake
Digital Pulse 2024. Australian Computer Society (ACS) / Deloitte Access Economics. July 2024. https://www.acs.org.au/campaign/digital-pulse/download.html?utm_source=acs&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=TRN_DP25&deliveryName=DM28666
Australia’s artificial intelligence ecosystem: growth and opportunities. National Artificial Intelligence Centre (NAIC) / Australian Government. June 2025. https://www.industry.gov.au/publications/australias-artificial-intelligence-ecosystem-growth-and-opportunities
Is the Stocktake missing evidence?
Share additional information for potential future Assessments