Madison Marcus Chief AI & Innovation Officer Mark Monfort joined the Digital Economy Council of Australia delegation at Parliament House on 16 October, bringing a legal industry perspective to the Joint Select Committee on Artificial Intelligence.
The appearance provided an opportunity to contribute practical experience to the national discussion about AI adoption, sovereignty and the safeguards needed as these technologies become more capable.
Mark appeared alongside fellow DECA representatives, with the Tech Council of Australia also participating in the session. His contribution drew on his work at Madison Marcus and its innovation arm, Foundry Labs.
Bringing implementation experience to the discussion
For law firms and their clients, successful AI adoption involves decisions about information access, confidentiality, infrastructure, professional obligations and human oversight.
Those considerations shape how a system can be used, who remains responsible for its outputs and whether an organisation can maintain control as its needs change.
This practical perspective informed Mark’s contribution to the discussion on AI sovereignty. He proposed five questions for assessing control: authority, continuity, portability, substitutability and recourse.
Together, these ask who has authority over a system, whether an organisation can continue operating if access is disrupted, whether its information can be moved, whether a provider can be replaced and what remedies are available when something goes wrong.
The location of a server is an important consideration. A broader assessment also examines the contractual, operational and technical arrangements surrounding it.
Safeguards as AI moves towards action
The discussion also explored how blockchain could support permissions, evidence and royalties.
As AI systems gain the ability to initiate transactions and carry out tasks, organisations will need reliable ways to establish their authority, constrain their actions and retain evidence of what occurred.
Selective disclosure offers one potential approach to protecting information. A person could prove that they meet a particular eligibility requirement without sharing their entire financial history or the underlying document.
Programmable transactions offer another possibility. A system could require a valid eligibility credential before permitting a restricted transfer, placing a safeguard at the point of execution.
These approaches still depend on trustworthy information, sound implementation and appropriate legal arrangements.
Connecting policy with practice
Through its work with Foundry Labs, Madison Marcus brings together legal knowledge and technology development to examine these challenges in practical settings.
Contributing to the Committee’s inquiry is an opportunity to bring that experience into the policy discussion and support an Australian AI ecosystem that businesses and their clients can use with confidence.
Madison Marcus thanks the Committee and DECA for the opportunity to contribute.
Speak with our team
If your business is building in the AI space and needs legal support, or you would like to learn from our experience deploying AI in regulated environments, we welcome the conversation.
Contact Madison Marcus to discuss your legal needs and how our practical experience can help inform your approach to AI.
Mark Monfort: Chief AI & Innovation Officer
Mark leads Madison Marcus’ AI and technology strategy, focusing on the practical application of AI within legal and professional services. He works closely with partners and clients to design and deploy systems that improve how work is performed, from automating workflows to building private, secure AI environments.
He also advises clients across various sectors on how to better leverage data and emerging technologies to drive more informed decision-making and operational efficiency.
