What we plan to achieve
The AI Plan for the APS positions the government to improve service delivery, policy outcomes, efficiency and productivity by substantially increasing the safe and responsible use of AI in government.
Objectives
To uplift AI maturity across the public sector, this plan targets the following objectives:
- Improving AI literacy – As AI becomes increasingly widespread and available, everyone in government needs basic AI literacy and training.
- Leading by example – The government has an important role to play in modelling responsible and ethical AI adoption. We need to understand the technology, know how we can benefit from it and support public servants to use it safely and appropriately.
- Expanding generative AI use – Current levels of AI adoption are inconsistent. Improving our AI maturity means broadening the safe, responsible use of generative AI to all agencies.
- Coordinating government’s approach – AI transformation needs to be coordinated across the pillars of trust, people and tools. We’ve learned that it’s not enough to provide the technology – people need training and support to adopt AI in a considered way.
- Driving systemic adoption – Advancing AI maturity requires a coordinated program of projects and investments to support systemic change – removing barriers and accelerating adoption for all agencies.
It is only by uplifting AI maturity that we can expect this technology to deliver meaningful productivity gains. The Productivity Commission assesses that broader AI adoption could drive up to 4.3 per cent labour productivity growth over the next decade in the market sector (around $116 billion in GDP).
Significant increases are also expected to accrue to the public sector, which has been associated with low productivity growth in recent years. By 2030, AI adoption could lift public sector gross value added by 13 per cent, delivering $19 billion in annual value (Merom, 2025).
The Australian Government is one of the nation’s largest employers. The policies we establish for the public sector will play a pivotal role in shaping the adoption of AI across the economy and unlocking the associated benefits.
Strategic alignment
Scope and deliverables
The scope of this plan is limited to initiatives that focus on the adoption and use of AI by government agencies. It does not apply to industry or personal use of these technologies.
While these initiatives focus primarily on generative AI, the plan is not strictly limited to these applications. As new opportunities emerge, other uses of AI may be incorporated into initiatives.
Specific deliverables are detailed within individual initiatives (see Appendix A). These initiatives are organised into three mutually reinforcing pillars, around which the plan is structured:
- Trust: Building confidence through transparency, ethical use, and strong governance.
- People: uplifting capability across the APS to support safe and effective use of AI, while remaining conscious of the impact change has on people.
- Capability: Expanding access to secure, fit-for-purpose AI technologies.
In combination, Trust, People and Tools form an integrated approach. This enables us to support change management as we adopt AI across the APS. Each pillar’s success is vital to the others: skilled people and clear policies are needed to use new AI tools effectively, and the tools and experiences gained will inform ongoing policy refinement.
The use of AI by military, defence, intelligence, and law enforcement agencies is not subject to public reporting requirements. These agencies remain subject to strong existing oversight and accountability arrangements to ensure responsible and trustworthy use of AI.
Actions to drive adoption
- Everyone in the APS completing training on the fundamentals of AI use in the APS and having access to guidance to use AI safely and securely
- All public servants having access to generative AI tools
- Each agency and department appointing a senior executive as Chief AI Officer
- All agencies tracking and reporting their AI use
These targets are based on an 18-month timeframe. Broadly, these align with two overarching milestones:
- July 2026 (0-12 months)
- July 2026 onwards (12+ months).
Individual initiatives also contain their own targets and measures (see Appendix A).
As an iterative plan, targets and delivery schedules will be updated to account for new developments and emerging opportunities.
APS AI Plan implementation timeline
Context and background
This plan is being progressed in alignment with work to develop a national plan for AI, led by the Department of Industry, Science and Resources, to deliver Australia’s ambition for AI across our economy.
Australia's AI ambition
To strengthen Australia’s economy, society and security, the Government’s vision for AI in Australia focuses on:
- capturing the opportunities of AI
- ensuring the benefits are shared widely, and
- keeping Australians safe.
Many AI initiatives are already underway, with progress being made against these objectives. However, to date, the adoption of generative AI across government has been inconsistent. There are varying levels of AI maturity between – and even within – agencies.
AI maturity in the APS is a journey: starting with no formal adoption, progressing through leadership engagement and foundational capability, advancing to data-driven improvements in services, and advancing to AI becoming standard practice throughout government.
Agencies are also facing a complex mix of uncertainties and risks in dealing with generative AI. There are questions around the appropriate use of AI, and the advent of the latest AI developments and the speed of its advancements has heightened the need to manage privacy, cyber security and sovereignty risks. The rapidly changing digital environment will also likely introduce new risks and considerations. The plan seeks to get the balance right – capturing the opportunities and maximising the benefits, while minimising harms and mitigating risks.
Governance, training and communications initiatives already delivered
- Technical standard for government’s use of AI
- Guidance on the use of OFFICIAL information in public generative AI tools
- Sponsored GovHack 2025
- AI in government fundamentals eLearning (available for all staff)
- AI Government Showcase of AI use-cases with industry & academia
- GovAI applied eLearning
- APS Academy MasterCraft webinars for new users
- APS Academy Lunch and Learn webinars on AI use cases in the APS and how to implement AI in APS organisations delivered in partnership with GovAI
Responsibility for the plan
Implementation of the plan is a joint responsibility, led by:
- Department of Finance (DoF)
- Digital Transformation Agency (DTA)
- Australian Public Service Commission (APSC)
While these 3 agencies own this plan, individual agencies remain responsible for their own adoption and use of AI.
Everyone in the Australian Government has a role to play in the safe, responsible adoption of AI – participating in training, following whole-of-government and agency specific policies, and contributing to the AI transformation of government.