NATA is looking at how it can embrace artificial intelligence (AI) options in 2025 to provide a better service for its Members.
In the January edition of NATA News we looked at potential benefits and efficiencies that utilising Ai may bring.
Talking this a step further, we consider timing and controlled implementation.
When is the time right?
NATA Chief Information Officer, Dean Tomlinson, believes technology has evolved in the areas of accuracy, scalability, and accessibility.
“NLP machine learning, and data analytics capabilities are now advanced enough to handle complex, data-heavy tasks which wasn’t as feasible a few years ago,” said Tomlinson. “Data is also now more structured and accessible than before, which enables AI systems to analyse and utilise it more effectively for decision-making and compliance.”
As for why you would be hesitant in adopting AI adopted earlier, Tomlinson points to how AI models were not as accurate or accessible as they are now.
“The tools necessary for real-time or heavy analysis, predictive analytics, and automation simply weren’t as advanced or readily available,” he says. “If an organisation such as NATA would have used AI back then, it would have encountered numerous technical limitations.”
Using it right
While AI may offer many benefits for work, it is not without risk. For example, over-reliance on AI could result in a gradual reduced role for human judgment, particularly in areas where critical thinking or creativity is needed.
Therefore, Tomlison says it is better to view AI as a tool to “compliment and not replace” human capabilities.
“AI can handle the data-driven aspects, but final decisions should still involve human oversight, ensuring the context, emotion, and reasoning,” he says.
Another pitfall of AI is that its models can inadvertently carry biases found in the data they are trained on, which may lead to inconsistent or unfair results. This means that organisations such as NATA must be vigilant in how AI systems store, process, and protect data.
“If left unchecked, unauthorised access or data breaches could lead to significant repercussions,” Tomlinson says.
He recommends using strong data policies, including encryption and strict access controls, to help ensure data privacy and protect sensitive information.
NATA will continue to update Members on developments in this area.