Privacy
Last updated: 30 April 2026
This page explains how we handle personal information for the Australian AI Safety Forum (“the Forum”) and related events. It extends the Gradient Institute privacy policy, which covers anything not addressed below. Gradient Institute Ltd (ABN 29 631 761 469) is the data controller and operator of the Forum.
If you don't provide registration details we can't issue a ticket; all other fields are optional.
What we collect
- Registration details: name, email, role, organisation, ticket type, and (from the purchaser) billing information.
- Profile fields you choose to add: photo, bio, pronouns, links, areas of interest.
- Dietary requirements and accessibility needs (treated as sensitive information).
- Session proposals, scholarship applications, and related materials if you submit them.
- Conference interactions: dashboard messaging, sessions you've marked, feedback surveys.
- Technical data: IP address, browser, device — collected by our hosting and security providers for abuse prevention.
How we use it
- Running the event (tickets, catering, communications, the program).
- Operating the attendee directory and networking features (only if you opt in).
- Reviewing session proposals and scholarship applications.
- Post-event: a feedback survey, and future event invitations (you can unsubscribe at any time).
- Meeting our legal obligations (tax records, responding to lawful requests).
The attendee directory
The directory is opt-in. When you first sign in to your dashboard, you choose whether to appear. If you opt in, other registered attendees can see your name, role, organisation, and anything else you add to your profile (photo, bio, pronouns, links). You can change your choice at any time from your profile settings.
Exception for the official program. If you are on the official program (for example, a speaker, panellist, or workshop facilitator), your name, role, organisation, bio, and photo are published on the program page and in the directory regardless of the opt-in choice above. You can update what we publish from your profile in the dashboard at any time.
Photography and recording
We photograph general audience scenes at the venue for event documentation and future promotional use. Some sessions may be filmed for later publication with speakers' consent. If you do not want to appear in photos, please let staff know at check-in — we will note it on your lanyard. If a photo of you has already been published and you want it removed, email contact@aisafetyforum.au.
Private conversations are never recorded without consent.
Who sees your information
Gradient Institute is the data controller, but the Forum is run by a volunteer organising committee (listed on each event page). Staff and volunteers on the committee access the information they need to do their role — operational logistics, reviewing session proposals, programme planning, and so on.
We also work with partners to run specific parts of the Forum — for example, reviewing and administering scholarship applications. Current partners are named on the relevant event page (e.g. the scholarships page). These partners see only the information needed for that role.
We disclose limited information to other parties strictly as needed to run the event: the venue for access and incident response; our caterer for dietary requirements and head counts; and contractors engaged for specific logistics (for example, a badge printer) on the information they need. We don't sell or share your information for marketing by anyone other than the Forum.
Third-party processors
Logistical and operations support is being provided by Good Ancestors, a charity working in the AI safety space. Good Ancestors and Gradient Institute use standard business tools to run the event and help organise the Forum — document and photo storage, email and calendaring, spreadsheets, surveys, accounting and invoicing, and similar administrative software. Information about you may appear in these incidentally (for example, your name on a reconciled invoice, a meeting note that mentions you, or a survey response). These tools hold only what's needed for the task and are bound by the vendors' own privacy and security terms. Where data leaves Australia, transfers follow Australian Privacy Principle 8.
The main systems running this site and your registration are:
| Service | Purpose | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Stripe | Payment processing (card data handled entirely by Stripe; we only receive a transaction reference) | Global |
| Brevo | Transactional and event email | European Union |
| Neon | Database hosting | Sydney, AWS ap-southeast-2 (registration data stored in Australia) |
| Vercel | Website hosting | Sydney, syd1 (some static assets may be served from global edge network) |
| Uploadthing | Profile photo uploads | United States |
The event venue typically operates its own CCTV and access-control systems on site — see the venue's own privacy policy for details.
Sensitive information
Dietary requirements and accessibility needs are shared on a need-to-know basis with our caterer and venue only. They remain on your profile after the event so you don't have to re-enter them if you attend future Forum events, and you can remove or update them any time from your profile.
Retention
- Registration, profile, and messages: kept while your account exists. Delete your account from the dashboard, or unsubscribe from emails at any time.
- Financial records (orders, invoices, payment metadata): at least 7 years as required by Australian tax law, longer where needed for operational or audit purposes.
- Session proposals: accepted proposals retained as part of the public record of the event; unsuccessful proposals retained for our own review and reference.
- Scholarship applications: kept privately for review, auditing, and future reference; not published.
Your rights
Under Australian Privacy Principles you can request access to, correction of, or deletion of your personal information. Email contact@aisafetyforum.au. We respond within 30 days. Complaints that cannot be resolved with us can be referred to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner.
Data breaches
If a breach occurs that is likely to cause serious harm, we will notify affected individuals and the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner in line with the Notifiable Data Breaches scheme.
Children
The Forum is for attendees aged 18 and over. We do not knowingly collect information from minors. If you believe we have, contact us and we will delete it.
Contact
contact@aisafetyforum.au
Gradient Institute Ltd, Sydney Knowledge Hub, Level 2 H04 Merewether, The University Of Sydney NSW 2006