SYDNEY: The "Five Eyes" intelligence-sharing group of Britain, the United States, Australia, Canada and New Zealand held talks Wednesday in Sydney on using artificial intelligence to combat terrorism and organized crime.

Australia's Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said the "massive acceleration in the capacity to cause harm through artificial intelligence" had dominated talks with US Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin, Britain's Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, Canadian Minister of Public Safety Gary Anandasangaree and New Zealand Minister of Police Mark Mitchell.

The group discussed how to use AI "through all the different threat areas that we deal with... counter-terrorism, on countering drug smuggling, on dealing with scams and scam centers, on dealing with organized crime," Burke told reporters.

The homeland ministers watched a display of aerial and maritime drones, Australia's latest measure to boost surveillance of vessels along its remote and challenging northern coast.

Australia introduced tough border controls and a policy to stop asylum seeker boats arriving at its vast shoreline 25 years ago, in reaction to the rise of a populist anti-immigration party, One Nation.

Asylum seekers arriving by boat to Australia are deported to the remote Pacific island of Nauru, under the policy.

As One Nation again experiences a resurgence in opinion polls, Australia's government has pledged to reduce migration levels.

'Five Eyes

AI dominates 'Five Eyes' security talks in Australia