We are seeing the rapid emergence of what John Danaher has called an ‘Algocracy’ – the rise of algorithms and Artificial Intelligence (AI) in making decisions in both public and private sectors. This ups the ante for enhancing the transparency and accountability which underpin contemporary democratic socio-economic and legal structures, at a time when these structures are facing unprecedented challenges.  

The Robodebt Royal Commission has exposed the dire consequences of misuse of technology, and the algorithm used was not even AI. The Robodebt fiasco might pale in comparison to the scale and significance of potential corruption and mismanagement with more widespread availability and application of AI.