As Australia's reliance on satellite Earth observation data grows, the consequence of inaccuracies (introduced through inadvertent errors or deliberate manipulation) in the data increases; particularly when used by governments and industry to inform investment, management and policy decisions. The risks of inaccuracies are replicated globally and will continue to increase as the Earth observation sector becomes more commercialised.

This project critically considers the rapid diffusion of so-called generative AI: that is, machine learning technologies that simulate human languages, communication, arts, and cultures through the statistical modelling of vast troves of scraped internet data.

Imaginaries of “digital humanitarianism” proclaim countless interconnected benefits through the embrace of data-driven solutions to social welfare and crisis response. Chief among them are cost savings, administrative efficiency, empowerment, financial inclusion, fraud prevention, and more accurate and reliable information. In response to these techno-optimistic narratives, the humanitarian sector employs a growing ecosystem of digital technologies like biometric identification, transnational databases, and automated eligibility assessments.

This Australian Research Council-funded project explores how different forms of knowledge have contributed to the rise of traumatic brain injury (TBI) as a health concern. In addition to looking at scientific and public health discourses, it examines approaches to regulating TBI among sport participants, military personnel, and survivors of intimate partner violence in Australia, Canada and the United States. The study illuminates how science and regulation reflect shifting beliefs about brain health, the mind and body and (injured) human agency.