Lieutenant General Michelle McGuinness warns every Aussie a target as cyber crime becomes more sophisticated
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Lieutenant General Michelle McGuinness warns every Aussie a target as cyber crime becomes more sophisticated
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AU Financial Review
19 hours ago
- AU Financial Review
Telco uses AI chatbots to keep scammers hanging on the line
AI chatbots are being used by telco firm TPG to scam the scammers, engaging them in fake conversations to reveal their schemes and the types of organisations they are impersonating. Tens of thousands of good-guy bots with different personalities and accents, including an Aussie who says 'mate', have been created by a Macquarie University start-up that has commercialised its technology.
West Australian
a day ago
- West Australian
More Aussies are using AI to plan holidays, from scoring deals to assembling itineraries
I'm planning a trip to Iceland, aka one of the most expensive countries in the world. Can I afford to go? What would a realistic budget look like for a two-week holiday? How can I cut corners to save some cash? I decide to do the 2025 equivalent of phoning a friend — I ask my buddy ChatGPT. My initial prompt is too vague and it gives pricing in USD, which isn't particularly helpful. I refine my criteria, asking for a rough total in AUD for a fortnight in September, departing from Perth ('please', I add, because manners are still important when talking to a robot). In the blink of an eye, Chat spits out a breakdown of average costs on everything from flights to accommodation, car rental, food and activities. There are three tiers for backpacker, mid-range and luxury travel and an option to split components if I have a travelling companion. It even offers suggestions for making my hard-earned coin stretch further, like buying groceries rather than eating out and opting to self-drive rather than joining a guided tour of the famous Golden Circle. All in all, Chat reckons I'll need to save $8500-$9000 to make Iceland happen. What would have taken me hours of research and a lot of math just to ascertain whether I can even consider the trip in the first place was reduced to mere minutes. While I want to give myself a pat on the back for being so resourceful — there's a certain smugness that comes with finding a sneaky shortcut — I am hardly the first to use ChatGPT for travel tips. In recent research conducted by Compare the Market, nearly a third of those surveyed admitted to using artificial intelligence to plan their holidays. These Aussie respondents said they outsourced a range of tasks to AI, with the most common being destination recommendations, hunting for deals, seeking activities and finding accommodation. Others reported they used AI to quickly create itineraries, scour flights or transport and understand currency conversion. The data also gave insight into how different generations are embracing the technology — or not. Perhaps unsurprisingly, gen Z and millennials are spearheading the adoption of AI when it comes to concocting their dream vacation, with 52 per cent and 44 per cent respectively utilising the tool to plan a holiday. Meanwhile, 93 per cent of baby boomers and 76 per cent of gen X respondents said they were resistant to bringing AI into their trip arrangements. Compare the Market's Chris Ford says the stats reflect how we engage with the ever-changing tech landscape. 'Our latest data highlights a shift in the way travellers are approaching their planning, with convenience, personalisation and speed driving the adoption of innovative AI tools,' he says. 'It's likely that travellers are using these tools in addition to chatting with travel agents, conducting desktop research or seeking ideas and inspiration from social media. 'AI is evolving at a rapid rate and as it becomes more accessible and intuitive, it's not surprising that travellers are relying on new technology to help shape their dream holidays.' But the insurer warns against taking AI's word as gospel. With nothing to validate the credibility of such recommendations, Ford says travellers need to practice due diligence. 'AI can be a great starting point when planning a holiday, but always ensure you're crossing your 't's and dotting your 'i's,' he says. 'Many of these tools and services are still in their infancy stage and may not be 100 per cent accurate, so do your own research to ensure you're equipped with the right tools and information for your trip. 'The last thing we want to see is anyone getting themselves into a potentially dangerous or unsafe situation based on the recommendations from AI.' Ford makes a crucial point here about our relationship with platforms like ChatGPT. Rather than approaching them as one-stop-shop to curate every element of our holiday, we should instead consider them as a starting point to kick off deeper research. After all, isn't that part of the fun with travel — the anticipation in the lead-up, the process of discovering a destination before we have arrived and assembling a bucket list tailored to our specific taste? By asking a computer to generate an itinerary based on what's popular, we are depriving ourselves of creativity, spontaneity and adventure. We must also remember that what the AI bot spits out is dependent on the quality of our prompts. The more we refine our request, the more likely we will receive helpful answers, but even then things can go wonky. Take this from my colleague Belle: 'I asked ChatGPT to give me a child-friendly restaurant in Ubud. It sent me to a weird health food restaurant with a koi pond where you couldn't wear shoes. My feral children cleared the room within minutes. Disaster.' Then there's the cognitive dissonance that comes with considering the environmental impact of AI versus the fear of being left behind if we don't get on board with this technology. Like it or not, it is shaping and re-shaping the future at breakneck speed. We all have to decide where our (virtual) line in the sand is: what is productive and 'mindful' use based on our needs and values. For me, I'm OK with employing ChatGPT to whip up a quick budget so I can take the holiday to Iceland I've always dreamed of. But when it asks if I want activity recommendations or a detailed itinerary next, I politely decline. I'd rather leave some room for mystery and exploration. 'Thanks', I farewell my cyber mate in my sign-off (because, manners). Our collective of writers just so happens to represent the four age demographics mentioned in the research above. So what's the hot take? Stephen Scourfield — b aby boomer Trusting someone – or, in this case, something – to book a holiday (particularly a family holiday!) requires a lot of trust. If some detail is missed in the booking process (a wrong date, a badly timed connection), it will be you standing there, somewhere, trying to fix it (possibly with the family 'on your case'). Would I trust AI yet? No – not yet. Of course, I think we all know that AI is good at doing grunt work and it is up to us to check details. So AI is already useful for the broad-brush, first sweep of mapping out a holiday. But AI won't then back itself by booking it all. (That will be the game changer.) So, at this stage, AI, for me, is still a basic tool of research – not a replacement for an experienced and knowledgeable travel agent. Leyanne Baillie — gen X Although my generation is confident when it comes to using tech (even if we're not digital natives), I think AI programs would be more effort than they're worth. I know it could be a time-saver in terms of journey-planning brainstorming and getting a rough guide of options, but I'd still want to tailor my itinerary to cater to my personal taste. I don't think I'm ready to hand over the reins completely to artificial intelligence just yet. Jessie Stoelwinder — millennial I love a good travel hack, and that's how I have been approaching my use of AI. Anything that makes life a little easier and frees me up to investigate the fun stuff — where to eat, hike, shop, people-watch etc. — and I am on board. I've used ChatGPT to quickly aggregate travel data for personal trips to assist with admin, logistics and practicalities, which I will then cross-check and verify to make sure the information works for me. Recommendations, however? Word of mouth and insider intel from a human being will always win, in my opinion. Megan French — g en Z I would be open to the idea of utilising AI when planning my travels but I'd take everything it recommends with a grain of salt while still doing my own thorough research. I think it's great for foundational information-based planning early in trip preparations, such as 'what holidays are on in India during July and how is best to navigate them?' But when it comes to booking flights and accommodation, I'd go nowhere near AI … yet .
Perth Now
2 days ago
- Perth Now
Bid to stop animals being killed on roads as fatalities rise
Virtual fencing could be introduced across Perth's northern suburbs as a potential solution to reduce wildlife road fatalities, with the City of Wanneroo set to assess the technology's potential use in areas prone to wildlife collisions. The council asked at last week's meeting for the city to investigate the effectiveness of virtual fencing and prepare a project proposal for its installation along high-risk roads. Virtual fencing is a wildlife deterrent system that uses sensors to warn animals of approaching vehicles by emitting flashing lights and sounds to stop them from crossing roads. Posts, usually solar-powered, are spaced at regular intervals and work together to create a continuous virtual barrier along the edges of roads. Based on known wildlife movement and development pressures, 11 priority roads have been requested for consideration in a potential virtual fencing trial. These are Breakwater Drive, Flynn Drive, Badgerup Road, Hawkins Road, Townsend Road, Old Yanchep Road, Pipidinny Road, Neaves Road, Marmion Road, Wanneroo Road, and Woodvale Drive. Wanneroo Councillor Jacqui Huntley, who has successfully passed a motion for the City to investigate rolling out virtual fencing. Credit: Andrew Ritchie / The West Australian Cr Jacqueline Huntley, who is also a licensed independent wildlife carer, brought the proposal to the council. She believes something needs to be done to address the rising number of wildlife road fatalities and accidents caused by them, primarily involving kangaroos in the Wanneroo area, and said virtual fencing was a promising solution compared to conventional fencing. 'Virtual fencing presents a modern and non-invasive solution that, in trials, has actually worked,' Cr Huntley said. 'Traditional wire or post fencing, while intended to prevent animal crossings, has severe flaws, particularly in bushfire conditions. These fences can trap wildlife, blocking escape routes and often leading to horrific outcomes. 'Virtual fencing, by contrast, preserves the integrity of the environment while offering safety to both drivers and the animals that call this region home.' It is estimated that more than 7000 insurance claims in Australia are made each year due to collisions with kangaroos. According to Budget Direct, animal collisions account for five per cent of all road accidents in Australia, with kangaroos involved in 90 per cent of these incidents. Kangaroos on Yellagonga Regional Park Andrew Ritchie Credit: Andrew Ritchie / The West Australian The City of Joondalup is also investigating the use of virtual fencing. Last November it unanimously backed a motion for a report into the installation of virtual fencing or a land bridge around Pinnaroo Memorial Park and some Woodvale areas to protect kangaroos. In 2023, Eurobodalla Shire near Canberra trialled a virtual fence along a stretch of road, with posts placed every 25 metres. The shire reported wildlife collisions dropped from five per week to just five in the entire first year. With development rapidly expanding across the city, Cr Huntley says the council has a duty to explore innovative measures that protect native wildlife as natural habitats are lost. 'Given the scale of the upcoming development throughout Wanneroo and the known hotspots where wildlife road fatalities are frequently recorded, this council has an obligation to explore smarter solutions,' she said. 'This is a meaningful step towards our shared goals of biodiversity preservation, public safety and responsible planning.' Cr Huntley's motion was seconded by Cr Paul Miles and passed 10–3, with mayor Linda Aitken among those voting against. Wanneroo Cr Paul Miles and Cr Jacqui Huntley who have successfully passed a motion for the City to investigate rolling out virtual fencing, with Keith Fox (centre) from Rocky Ridge Wildlife Sanctuary, who is also advocating for the devices. Credit: Andrew Ritchie / The West Australian Cr Miles believes the technology behind the virtual fencing is promising. 'I can't wait to see administration trialling them in the locations listed in the report and hearing back from them over the coming months, if not years, to see how they are going,' he said. Preliminary estimates by the city put the cost of installing virtual fencing at around $10,000 per kilometre. City staff are now preparing a project proposal outlining the scope, required resources, budget estimates, and timelines for consideration in the development of the 2026-27 budget.
