How unfortunate that Peter Malinauskas says he is not interested in running for federal politics. This week once again showed the South Australian premier's class on the policy front when, after a fact-finding visit to the United States, he announced a state royal commission into artificial intelligence.

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The federal government recently released a (broad) AI policy. But a detailed inquiry into this revolutionary technology, about to change all our lives, will provide an extra degree of community inclusion.

It will give the public insights from experts and stakeholders into the opportunities and risks of AI. That will make it easier not only to put in more guardrails but to later judge how effectively they are working. Some people will be alarmed by what comes out; others will be reassured. It will bring greater transparency to the technology's rollout, providing an important reality check.

It's just a pity this is not a national inquiry.

Malinauskas, it will be remembered, was a prime early driver of the world-leading under-16s social media ban, which was then picked up and owned by the Prime Minister.

Malinauskas has his own local problems and critics, but the state economy is doing well, and he plays his politics adroitly. The one thing the several frontbenchers who aspire to follow Anthony Albanese - Jim Chalmers, Tony Burke, Mark Butler, Richard Marles - hope is that Malinauskas does not change his mind about a federal tilt.

Albanese must envy Malinauskas' easy political style, clarity of communication and ability to (mostly) avoid own goals. Notably, Malinauskas would not have been lured into a trashy conversation during a low-rent podcast.

The Prime Minister had some successes this week, laying the groundwork in talks with the opposition for parliament to next week pass the government's long-awaited legislation on gambling, and the bill paving the way to curb the growth in cost of the National Disability Insurance Scheme.

But this was overshadowed by podcast reflux - allegations that in his July exchange with comedian Nikki........

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