UWA's Generative Artificial Intelligence Think Tank?
What we do
The Generative Artificial Intelligence University Expert Advisory Panel (known as the UWA GenAI Think Tank) was created in 2024 by UWA's Academic Board and Council to offer strategic advice to the University Executive on the risks and opportunities that GenAI presents for our teaching, research and operations.
The high-level guidance, recommendations and solutions provided by the GenAI Think Tank allow the University to effectively navigate the complex challenges and issues presented by GenAI, while working towards achieving our long-term goals.
Since its formation, the GenAI Think Tank has produced strategic advice on a range of issues, including:
- Data sensitivity and its role in the selection of safe GenAI tools
- The pros and cons of bringing local GenAI platforms (like those in people's devices) into UWA's environment
- Educating academic and professional staff to manage the risk of accidental data leakage
The GenAI Think Tank also participates in regular expert panels and symposia on the use of GenAI at UWA.
What is Generative AI?
Generative AI refers to a subset of AI that focuses on generating content, such as text, images, music and other media, by learning patterns from existing data. Using algorithms (step-by-step instructions designed to solve a problem or complete a task), it produces outputs, enabling applications in fields ranging from art and entertainment to virtual reality and data synthesis.
While the early years of publicly available GenAI (2022-2024) involved 'manual' uses (where humans prompt GenAI to produce an output of some kind), from 2025 these are likely to be supplemented by 'automated' uses where humans assign agents to undertake complex tasks on our behalf, working across a range of software and applications.
As the use of GenAI to undertake tasks on our behalf grows, so will the influence of AI-generated content on our lives. Understanding how we adapt to these influences requires disciplinary breadth and diversity of thought.
Our approach to GenAI at UWA?
Generative AI represents a transformative technology that can enhance the research, teaching and service delivery we provide to our university community. We believe that UWA should adopt AI tools mindfully, with particular focus on preserving academic integrity, protecting intellectual property, maintaining data security and privacy, and supporting human creativity for both staff and students.
While we remain excited by the unprecedented possibilities of GenAI, we recognise that rapid advancements generate uncertainty. Our guiding principle is to prioritise optionality – to ensure the University and our staff maintain as much flexibility as possible. To safeguard the University's core values, we have recommended a strengthening of existing processes so that AI-augmented outcomes remain grounded in human-driven expertise (often called "human in the loop").
A key element of our approach is to leverage established frameworks – both within and beyond UWA – to inform the necessary guardrails for the technology. Rather than building new mechanisms from scratch, we see value in refining policies to accommodate AI's emerging capabilities while protecting core academic standards. For example, where TEQSA standards govern higher education, we believe their scope already includes maintaining high academic standards in an AI-influenced environment (as opposed to new regulatory approaches).
Equally crucial is our commitment to inclusiveness, transparency and respect for diverse perspectives. Whether it's safeguarding sensitive data or ensuring that AI-generated content reflects the communities it serves, we believe the adoption of AI tools make it critical that all members of our community are responsible agents of data and information. For this reason, we advocate for a tiered approach to AI tools with different levels of security and data loss prevention. We continue to highlight that AI tools must not compromise personal privacy, data security, intellectual property or cultural integrity, but rather are the right tools for the job based on the classification of data they use with the tool.
UWA's core AI values
Collaborative responsibility: Education and literacy around AI tools are essential to maximise critical thinking and creativity.
Data-informed and human-driven agility: We must respond quickly to new opportunities, but appropriate risk-based decision-making relies on data, human expertise, and context.
Sustainable innovation: AI tools can enhance the University's capability, but innovations must be sustainable for individuals and communities.
Members
The GenAI Think Tank includes academic and professional staff representing diverse areas of expertise across the University. The GenAI Think Tank is led by Prof. Zach Aman as Chair and A/Prof. Celeste Rodriguez Louro as Deputy Chair.
Scott Nicholls
Associate University Librarian (Research & Collections)
Library Research and Collections
News and events
Contact us
We welcome UWA staff from all disciplines who wish to share their perspectives and experiences with GenAI. Email us at [email?protected]