Tools: Access, infrastructure and support
APS officials need to be empowered with the right AI tools to do their jobs safely and effectively. This means providing access to public web-based AI for low-risk activities, and to secure AI tools for more sensitive activities.
The initiatives under this pillar ensure that all public servants can access the tools they need through a three-tier approach:
- Universal availability of generative AI through GovAI and GovAI Chat, providing a safe and secure baseline chat interface to all APS officers.
- Public and enterprise AI services, enabling the use of public AI tools for public and OFFICIAL level information where it meets agency needs.
- Custom AI solutions, tailored for specific workflows or specialised use cases.
The Tools pillar provides the technical foundation for APS AI adoption, enabling agency innovation and empowering individual staff, while meeting people’s expectations within trusted governance settings. This plan notes that many specialised AI uses are usually best developed at an agency-level and does not intend to impede such adoption.
GovAI: Centrally hosted AI services
Technical infrastructure providing central AI tools and model brokerage services, preventing vendor lock-in
Lead agency: Finance
The government will leverage GovAI as a centralised AI hosting service to provide agencies a secure, Australian-based platform for developing customised AI solutions at low cost. By incorporating predefined guardrails, GovAI ensures that security and privacy remain paramount throughout the development process.
GovAI will include a use case library and a vendor agnostic platform with a model selection option based on need, enabling agencies to access a diverse range of AI models for their own development – including an onshore instance of OpenAI’s GPT models – without negotiating individual arrangements with commercial vendors. The inclusion of additional onshore models would further strengthen Australia’s data sovereignty, reduce technical barriers, and deliver measurable cost and time efficiencies across government.
Within a technology-agnostic framework, GovAI allows teams to engage with tools from multiple industry providers, mitigating the risks associated with vendor lock-in and technological obsolescence. Promoting the use of GovAI also minimises duplication, fosters shared learning, and accelerates both capability uplift and delivery timelines.
As a foundational technical service, GovAI will provide the necessary infrastructure and technical skills to develop, test, and support secure access to generative AI alongside customised agency-specific solutions and other whole-of-government applications.
GovAI Chat
Universally accessible and secure chat tool
Lead agency: Finance
The government will provide access to secure generative AI, through GovAI Chat, for everyone in the Australian Public Service. GovAI Chat will provide the capabilities of modern generative AI tools, while allowing users to leverage government data. Responses will be fast, current, and auditable through familiar and secure interfaces. Where smaller agencies may lack the scale and resourcing to adopt native AI tools, this will support staff across all agencies to safely and effectively experiment with AI tools and integrate them within their workflows.
The underlying framework will be flexible to respond to user needs and feature requests as technology evolves. It will be rolled out in an iterative fashion to allow for extensive and ongoing user testing with users and teams, across roles and agencies to ensure it meets practical needs.
This will increase the capability of the APS to deliver more for the Australian public, while maintaining standards and complying with legal frameworks for cyber security and data sovereignty. The result will be a safer and smarter way to work that supports operational integrity and delivers value through time saved and reduced rework.
Guidance on public and enterprise AI services
Clarity and consistency on using public LLMs up to OFFICIAL
Lead agency: DTA/Home Affairs
The government will develop clear guidance on the use of public generative AI tools to give public servants confidence to use platforms like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini up to OFFICIAL level information. The Department of Home Affairs will issue policy guidance to outline requirements for using these tools via web browsers. DTA will also update its existing guidance on the use of public generative AI to reflect this and include practical examples to support responsible use.
The work will help shift the risk appetite across agencies and enable staff to access general-purpose AI tools at no cost. Each agency will need to implement the changes independently and should consider using safeguards like upload blockers to manage risks around classified or personal information or other sensitive information.
Support for AI tool procurement
Speeding processes, sharing information, and assisting agencies
Lead agency: DTA
The government will continue to enhance AI procurement pathways to make it easier for agencies to access trusted AI products and services in line with government standards. This will help address concerns from agencies that are cautious about adopting tools when changes like added generative AI features are introduced without prior notice or clear guidance. DTA is introducing AI-specific subcategories within procurement panels like BuyICT and Digital Marketplace, helping agencies identify vendors with proven capabilities and adopt AI tools consistently and quickly. This also helps ensure alignment with the government’s technical and ethical standards, reducing duplication and accelerating the safe adoption of AI solutions across the APS.
The DTA is also developing guidance to support AI procurement across government. The guidance will include a practical procurement checklist and aims to help agencies find and manage AI-related risks while supporting procurement best practices. The Department of Finance and the DTA are working together to ensure that current procurement arrangements remain fit-for-purpose for a rapidly evolving supplier ecosystem and new business offerings.
Women are significantly underrepresented across STEM and mixed STEM occupations. As government plays a key market-shaping role, future consideration will be given to better integrating gender equity objectives in AI or STEM-related procurement to ensure public investment aligns with both productivity and social equity goals, which will help deliver on objectives of Working for Women: A Strategy for Gender Equality.
Additionally, procurement processes, risk, and security assessments are often duplicated across agencies due to low visibility. AI adoption is slowed and disincentivised where agencies are faced with these processes.
Re-using intellectual property
Re-using solutions, ensuring visibility, removing duplication
Lead agency: Finance
GovAI will provide a platform for making intellectual property (IP) discoverable and reusable across the APS, which will reduce duplication, reduce costs, and accelerate knowledge sharing within the APS. Agencies frequently procure valuable IP from consultancies or develop their own IP including strategies, code for scenario analysis, and applications (many of which will be AI empowered). But these materials are often invisible across government. As a result, agencies approach the market at significant expense for work that already exists. The platform will be consistent with the intellectual property principles for Commonwealth entities.
Making IP easily discoverable will allow agencies and centres of excellence (such as Australian Government Consulting) to efficiently synthesise insights from existing contract materials, approaches and reports, and consolidate Commonwealth-owned outputs. With tailored support to align materials with each agency’s needs, the APS could strengthen internal capability and reduce dependence on external contractors.
The existing GovAI Use Case Library, which already includes 20 detailed AI use cases from across the APS, could be augmented to support this expanded capability. This could also learn from similar models, like the United Kingdom’s i.AI Incubator with its open-source suite of tools on GitHub. As well as reuse of IP, having a common disclaimer for collecting data will ensure transparency around the government’s use of that data with AI tools.
Consistent with the Data and Digital Government Strategy, agencies will make non-sensitive government data open by default. Opening and sharing these data assets enables AI development that supports evidence-based decision-making, drives productivity across sectors, and delivers better outcomes for people and business.
Central register of generative AI assessments
Sharing and aligning assessments to avoid duplication
Lead agency: Finance
The government will create a centralised register, hosted on GovAI, for completed assessments for AI systems and services. For instance, this could include those conducted for Foreign Ownership, Control or Influence (FOCI) risk assessments, Information Security Registered Assessors Program (IRAP) assessments, cyber-security assessments of systems, and relevant impact assessments. This will help streamline procurement and deployment processes across the APS. Sharing of already completed processes will allow agencies to reference and reuse existing evaluations, speeding adoption. Agencies will be able to access prior assessments of platforms and tools conducted by other departments, not only saving time but also ensuring alignment with all security requirements across agencies.
The framework and documentation will be established in coordination with lead policy bodies such as the DTA and Department of Finance, and in close consultation with relevant bodies such as the Australian Signals Directorate (ASD) and the Department of Home Affairs. While agencies are ultimately responsible for ensuring compliance and risk management, sharing creates a starting foundation to achieve efficiencies and reduce duplicated effort where possible.
New whole-of-government cloud policy
Driving cloud adoption, unlocking greater AI potential
Lead agency: DTA
Cloud adoption is critical for agencies to unlock the full potential of AI through enhancing service delivery, enabling real-time data access, and supporting advanced analytics. The government will develop a new whole-of-government cloud policy to support responsible AI use in government by ensuring agencies can securely and efficiently leverage cloud infrastructure.
The policy will set clear requirements for cloud use, guiding agencies to accelerate cloud uptake while maintaining compliance with protective security standards and uplifting workforce capability. It will also address legacy migration challenges, ensuring that transitions are managed safely and efficiently.
Going forward: Safe and secure data for Australians
As the government adopts and uses more AI, maintaining the security and safety of Australians’ data will be critical. Consistent with existing information security and data protection frameworks and practices, the government will take a proactive approach throughout AI implementation to give Australians confidence their data is protected.