Professional judgement, confidentiality and responsibility in the age of generative AI

This could become one of the headline sessions of the series.

Young professionals are already using AI tools. A blanket message of “don't use AI” is unlikely to build the professional judgement the future workplace requires.

The more important question is:

How do I use powerful technology without outsourcing professional responsibility?

A real developmental issue: ethical digital judgement.

Trainees need to distinguish between what technology can do and what a professional should do.

Issues include confidential information, inappropriate data sharing, verification of outputs, hallucinated information, bias, over-reliance, transparency, authorship, competence and responsibility for the final work.

The CA2025 ethics document predates mainstream generative AI, so AI itself is not expressly addressed in the ethics outcomes.

The alignment is through the existing principles of confidentiality, professional competence and due care, objectivity and professional behaviour.

SAICA requires trainees to safeguard confidential information and take responsibility for the quality and integrity of their work.