Australia's peak artificial intelligence safety agency will operate on a fraction of the funding provided to similar organisations overseas, a senate committee has heard.
But the minister in charge of the newly established body has defended its capability, saying it would have comparable features to its peers and could address risks posed by the technology.
Industry, Innovation and Science Minister Tim Ayres launched a passionate endorsement of the AI Safety Institute on Tuesday under questioning at senate estimates in Canberra.
The discussion came weeks after the federal government appointed Royal Australian Air Force AI lead Kate Conroy to serve as the institute's AI governance general manager.
But independent senator David Pocock questioned why the government did not publicly announce Ms Conroy's appointment and why the institute would receive modest funding compared to its peers in the UK and Canada.
