Respected economist and former Federal Court judge Dr Iain Ross AO will lead the Commission, established by the State Government to ensure South Australians maximise benefits and minimise unwanted impacts from the AI boom.

Dr Ross was officially appointed as Chair on Thursday 1 October, alongside Commissioners Kate Pounder and Professor Christopher Manning, who bring extensive global expertise in technology policy, innovation, computer science and machine learning.

The Royal Commission will be a broad, evidence-based inquiry into the economic and societal opportunities and implications of artificial intelligence for South Australia, including how the state can harness AI safely, responsibly and for the public good.

It will examine the implications of AI across education, employment, economic opportunity, regulation, community life and the delivery of public services, drawing on evidence and perspectives from across South Australia, Australia and internationally.

The appointments of the three Commissioners aligned with the unveiling of the Terms of Reference, published on the Royal Commission’s website.

Commission Chair Dr Iain Ross brings extensive experience in dealing with workplace relations and has a deep understanding of labour markets and economics, from his roles including:

• Member of the Reserve Bank of Australia’s Monetary Policy Board
• Former Assistant Secretary of the Australian Council of Trade Unions, where he helped negotiate industrial relations reforms including universal superannuation and enterprise bargaining
• Chair of the Federal Net Zero Economy Authority
• Former President of the Australian Fair Work Commission
• Former Federal Court Judge
• Former Victorian Supreme Court Judge
• Leading numerous government and civil authorities

Commissioner Kate Pounder was the inaugural CEO of the Tech Council of Australia, the peak body representing Australia's national tech and innovation ecosystem. Now living in Canberra, she was raised in South Australia, graduating from the University of Adelaide. She has worked with OpenAI and is also:

• Co-founder of economics advisory firm AlphaBeta
• Chair of the board of RNA Australia
• Board member on Essential Energy, the Tech Policy Design Institute and Sydney’s Powerhouse Museum

A world-renowned artificial intelligence expert, Commissioner Professor Christopher Manning is the lead AI researcher at Stanford University. A linguist and computer scientist, he was originally from Queensland but has worked between Australia and the United States for more than 30 years. He is also:

• Co-founder of Stanford University’s Institute for Human-Centred Artificial Intelligence
• The current Thomas M. Siebel Professor in Machine Learning at Stanford University
• One of the world’s most-cited researchers in the field of natural language processing, the technology that allows AI to understand human language.

The Commission will hear evidence, consider key research and emerging developments, and engage with a broad cross-section of the South Australian community and beyond.

This will include views from local, national, and international businesses, industry bodies, unions, technology developers, academics, infrastructure experts, independent specialists, teachers, students, and everyday South Australians.

A comprehensive program of engagement will include public submissions, community forums, surveys, industry roundtables and targeted stakeholder consultations.

The Commission is expected to hand its final report to government in mid 2027.