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Statement 1: Define an operational model

Agencies should:

• Criterion 1: Identify a suitable operational model to design, develop, and deliver the system securely and efficiently.

  Implementing effective operational models for AI systems needs careful consideration to ensure compliance, efficiency, and ethical standards. They also provide tools for traceability, reproducibility, and modularity.

  Existing operational models can be used or extended for AI systems. Operational models can streamline the iterative nature of design, and develop and deliver AI systems more securely, efficiently, and reliably. Some examples include:

  • Model operations (ModelOps) – set of practices and technologies to streamline lifecycle management for decision models, using interdisciplinary approaches and automation tools
  • Machine learning operations (MLOps) – like ModelOps but for machine learning
  • Large language model operations (LLMOps) – like ModelOps but for large language models
  • Data operations (DataOps) – practices to streamline lifecycle management for data using interdisciplinary approaches and automated pipelines
  • Development operations (DevOps) – a software development methodology combining software development and ICT operations for streamlined workflows.

The above list contains examples that are at varying levels of abstraction. For example, LLMOps is a type of MLOps as it inherits many of the same properties.

Ensure governance and security are integrated into the operational model.

• Criterion 2: Consider the technology impacts of the operating model.

  These include:

  • the resources required for system development and maintenance, including computational power and data storage
  • AI requirements including potential harm and bias, human oversight and intervention, AI model configuration, and pre and post processing options for fine-tuning models
  • the data requirements of the system including sourcing and usage, provenance training, data diversity, data used in pre-trained models, and intellectual property rights.

  Note: The source of the impacts listed will be tied to selection decisions of the data and model, and additional training applied to the model.

• Criterion 3: Consider suitable technology hosting strategies.

  The hosting strategy can involve one of the following models:

  • Infrastructure as a service (IaaS) – for maximum control and flexibility; generally suitable for complex AI
  • Platform as a service (PaaS) – generally for AI experimentation and development; no in-house infrastructure management required
  • Software as a service (SaaS) – generally for ready-made AI solutions; no in-house infrastructure management and no in-house AI system development required.

  The strategy to adopt should consider:

  • use case and enterprise needs
  • flexibility, scalability, control, computational performance
  • AI development and support costs
  • customisation
  • vendor lock-in
  • security and privacy considerations.

Services covered by the Digital Service Standard

The Digital Service Standard is mandatory and applies to digital services that are:

• owned by non-corporate Commonwealth entities
• informational or transactional
• new or existing public facing
• new staff facing.

This includes services provided through a website, mobile app or other digital platform.

Version 2.0 of the Digital Service Standard will be assessed and enforced in 2 phases. Refer to the Transition approach section for details about the 2 phases.

The use of a reference architecture provides a structured framework that guides the design, development, and management of an AI system.

Agencies must:

• Criterion 4: Evaluate existing reference architectures.

  Make use of the Australian Government Architecture to:

  • consider reusing pretrained models when applicable
  • consider whether to build in-house or use off-the-shelf software or services
  • ensure strategic alignment with government's digital direction
  • ensure consistency and interoperability across agencies.

Agencies should:

• Criterion 5: Monitor emerging reference architectures to evaluate and update the AI system.

  New architectural paradigms are emerging that address complex AI applications, including:

  • Large Language Model (LLM) architectures: These architectures focus on deploying and managing large-scale language models. They encompass systems, tools, and design patterns that facilitate the integration of LLMs into applications, ensuring scalability and efficiency.
  • AI infrastructure architectures: Conceptualised to streamline the production of AI models, AI factories provide comprehensive guidelines for building high-performance, scalable, and secure data centres dedicated to AI development. These architectures support the end-to-end lifecycle of AI system creation, from development to deployment.
  • Generative AI (GenAI) reference architecture: This architecture outlines interfaces and components for GenAI applications, enabling users to interact with AI systems effectively. It emphasises modularity and flexibility, allowing for the integration of various AI functionalities to meet diverse user needs.

Use case assessment

The standard was assessed against a selection of use cases across government agencies.  Outcomes were collated to identify how the standard can be used across each lifecycle stage.

The assessment considered:

• proof of concept to those in operation
• the nature of the applications, whether used by internal staff or public facing
• the type of data involved, whether private, public, or a combination of both
• the risk level of the applications, ranging from low to high.

The applicability of the standard varied, based on who built each part of the AI system:

1. Fully built and managed in-house: Involves building AI systems from scratch.
2. Partially built and fully managed in-house: This includes using pre-trained or off-the-shelf models with or without grounding, RAG, and prompt engineering, such as large language models (LLMs) or reusing existing pre-trained machine learning or computer vision models. Note that fine-tuning a model would transfer the responsibility of applying the standard from the vendor to the agency.
3. Largely built and managed externally: Sourcing or procuring an AI system or SaaS product that is managed by a third-party or an external provider, such as Copilot.
4. Incidental usage of AI: Using off-the-shelf software with AI as incidental feature.
   Examples include:
   • AI features built into desktop software such as grammar checks
   • internet search with AI functionality

Applicability of the statements in the standard was tested against each AI use case. The process determined whether the standard could be applied to the use case or not. In some cases, such as when a pre-trained model is used, the applicability may be conditional. This means that the applicability depends on the use case, vendor responsibility, and how AI is integrated into the environment. 

Applicability of the standard has been categorised as:

• Applicable: The statements in the standard fully apply to the use case.
• Conditional: The statements in the standard are applicable, but their implementation may require agreement with third-party providers or rigorous testing and monitoring. For example, when using GenAI without fine-tuning or grounding, parts of the standard will be implemented by the provider.
• N/A (not applicable): The use case falls outside the scope of the standard, and therefore the statements do not apply.

The following table shows the applicability of the standard against each lifecycle phase: