In an era when technology is advancing at an unprecedented pace, Australians are sitting atop a modern-day gold mine—their personal data.

As we navigate the digital landscape, every click, like, and share contributes to the burgeoning field of artificial intelligence (AI).

But are we aware of the true value and potential risks of our digital footprint?



An Australian expert has sounded the alarm on the widespread use of personal data to train AI systems, a practice that is far more common than most people realise.

Social media giants such as Meta and LinkedIn have recently been scrutinised for their use of user data to enhance AI models.


For instance, LinkedIn's 'Data for Generative AI Improvement' setting, which has been automatically enabled for Australian users, allows the platform and its affiliates to ‘use your personal data and content you create’ for training content creation AI models.

Meta, on the other hand, has acknowledged scraping public data from Australian adult users on Facebook and Instagram, dating back to 2007, to train its generative AI models.

Dr James Birt, an Associate Professor of Creative Media at Bond University with a PhD in AI and software engineering, emphasised the importance of understanding that every online platform utilises user data to some extent.

‘That is the truth; they are using your data to train these systems,’ he said.

‘There’s no such thing as a free lunch, so you have to be aware that nothing is free. What you are giving up is essentially your data to be able to be used in various different ways.’

He added that when using online platforms, people should always explore ways to opt out.

‘You’re always opted in, you yourself need to see if there is a way to opt out,’ he said.

‘It might be an easy way, it might be a convoluted way, there may not be a way, but it is something one needs to educate themselves about.’



Describing AI training data sets as 'the next gold rush', Dr Birt pointed out that the focus is shifting from textual data to imagery, video, audio, and even unconscious data.

‘That’s that next generation of using VR headsets and sensor technology where we’ve got heart rate, brain wave and pulse patterns…we really don’t know how these data sets are perhaps being used or will be used, but they are being gathered, and they are being stored, and they are being used to train models that we might see in the next couple of years,’ he said.

With technology evolving rapidly, most Australians have never learned how to protect their data online.

Education and awareness are key, as the legal framework often lags behind technological innovation, leaving users to protect their privacy independently.



Highlighting the global implications of AI, United Nations experts have recently warned against leaving the development of AI to market forces alone.

They advocate for global cooperation and governance to ensure AI serves humanity equitably and safely, echoing UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres's concerns about the potential dangers AI poses to democracy, peace, and stability.

‘AI must serve humanity equitably and safely,’ Mr Guterres said.

‘Left unchecked, the dangers posed by artificial intelligence could have serious implications for democracy, peace and stability.’
Have you taken steps to protect your personal information online? Do you see the potential benefits of AI in healthcare and other sectors? Share them with us in the comments below!