Toby Walsh says he despairs at Australian government’s lack of regulation of artificial intelligence
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A leading AI expert has warned some Australians are showing signs of psychosis or mania in their interactions with chatbots, arguing Silicon Valley is being “careless” with the technology amid a pursuit of profit.
During an address at the National Press Club on Wednesday, Toby Walsh, scientia professor of artificial intelligence at the University of New South Wales, said he believed the AI race will be both “boom and doom”, with some benefits.
Continue reading...Why This Matters
A leading AI expert has sounded the alarm on potential mental health risks associated with Australian users' interactions with chatbots, sparking concerns about the unregulated use of artificial intelligence.
In Week 9 2026, Breaking News accounted for 32 related article(s), with UK Politics setting the broader headline context. Coverage of Breaking News decreased by 3 article(s) versus the prior week, but remained material in the weekly agenda.
Coverage Snapshot
Week 9 2026 included 32 Breaking News article(s). Leading outlets for this topic included Independent, Fox News, NY Times. Across that cluster, sentiment showed a mostly neutral skew (avg score 0.07).
Key Insights
Tone & Sentiment
The article tone is classified as negative, driven by the language and emphasis in the summary. The sentiment score of -0.16 indicates the strength of that tone.
Context
This warning comes amidst a growing trend of media coverage on the risks and benefits of AI, with outlets like the Guardian highlighting the need for regulation and responsible development of the technology. The Australian government's lack of action on AI regulation has been a recurring theme in recent media discussions. The Guardian's coverage of this issue has been part of a broader conversation about the need for accountability and oversight in the tech industry.
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Key Takeaway
In short, this article underscores key movement in Breaking News and explains why it matters now.