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Adapt over time

This policy aims to embed a forward leaning, adaptive approach for government’s use of AI that is designed to evolve and develop over time.

AI is a rapidly changing technology and the scale and nature of change is uncertain. This policy has been designed to ensure a flexible approach to the rapidly changing nature of AI and requires agencies to pivot and adapt to changes in the technological and policy environment.

Mandatory requirements

Accountable officials

Agencies must designate accountability for implementing this policy to accountable official(s) within 90 days of this policy taking effect.

The responsibilities may be vested in an individual or in the chair of a body. The responsibilities may also be split across officials or existing roles (such as Chief Information Officer, Chief Technology Officer or Chief Data Officer) to suit agency preferences.

The responsibilities of the accountable officials are to:

• be accountable for implementation of this policy within their agencies
• notify the Digital Transformation Agency (DTA) where the agency has identified a new high-risk use case by emailing ai@dta.gov.au. This information will be used by the DTA to build visibility and inform the development of further risk mitigation approaches. Agencies may wish to use the risk matrix to determine risk ratings.
• be a contact point for whole-of-government AI coordination
• engage in whole-of-government AI forums and processes
• keep up to date with changing requirements as they evolve over time. 

Agencies are to email the DTA when they designate and make any changes to their accountable official(s) by emailing ai@dta.gov.au

Recommended actions

Staff training on AI

It is strongly recommended that agencies implement:

• AI fundamentals training for all staff, aligned to the approach under the policy guidance, within 6 months of this policy taking effect
• additional training for staff as required, in consideration of their roles and responsibilities, such as those responsible for the procurement, development, training and deployment of AI systems.

Agencies should consider

Understanding AI use

Understanding where and how AI is being used within agencies and developing an internal register with this information.

Existing frameworks

Integrating AI considerations into existing frameworks such as privacy, protective security, record keeping, cyber and data.

Agencies should consider

AI assurance framework pilot participation

Participating in the pilot of the Australian Government’s AI assurance framework and providing feedback to the DTA on outcomes of the pilot to inform next steps.

Agencies interested in participating can seek more information by emailing ai@dta.gov.au.

Applying the generative AI guidance

Applying the guidance for agency use of public generative AI tools.

Agencies should consider

Monitoring and evaluation approaches

Reviewing on an ongoing basis the internal policies and governance approaches to AI to ensure they remain fit for purpose.

Monitoring AI use cases to assess for unintended impacts.

Integrating AI with a whole-of-government approach

Keeping up to date with changes in the policy and governance environment and pivot quickly to ensure ongoing compliance. 

Engaging with whole-of-government capacity building to encourage APS-wide capability uplift over time.

Policy introduction

The increasing adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping the economy, society and government. While the technology is moving fast, the lasting impacts of AI on the activities of government are likely to be transformational.

This policy provides a framework to position the Australian Government as an exemplar under its broader safe and responsible AI agenda. 

AI has an immense potential to improve social and economic wellbeing. Development and deployment of AI is accelerating. It already permeates institutions, infrastructure, products and services, with this transformation occurring across the economy and in government.

For government, the benefits of adopting AI include more efficient and accurate agency operations, better data analysis and evidence-based decisions, and improved service delivery for people and business. Many areas of the Australian Public Service (APS) already use AI to improve their work and engagement with the public.

To unlock innovative use of AI, Australia needs a modern and effective regulatory system. Internationally, governments are introducing new regulations to address AI’s distinct risks, focused on preventative, risk-based guardrails that apply across the supply chain and throughout the AI lifecycle.

The Australian Government’s consultations on safe and responsible AI show our current regulatory system is not fit for purpose to respond to the distinct risks that AI poses.

The consultation also found that the public expects government to be an exemplar of safe and responsible adoption and use of AI technologies. Public trust in AI and government’s use of it is low, which acts as a handbrake on adoption. The preparedness and maturity for managing AI varies across the APS. AI technologies change at speed and scale, presenting further risks if not acted upon quickly to mitigate them.

This means government has an elevated level of responsibility for its use of AI and should be held to a higher standard of ethical behaviour.

The Australian Government’s interim response to the consultations included a commitment to creating a regulatory environment that builds community trust and promotes innovation and adoption. It outlines pathways to ensure the design, development and deployment of AI in legitimate, but high-risk settings is safe and can be relied upon, while ensuring AI in low-risk settings can continue largely unimpeded. 

This policy is a first step in the journey to position government as an exemplar in its safe and responsible use of AI, in line with the Australian community’s expectations. It sits alongside whole-of-economy measures such as mandatory guardrails and voluntary industry safety measures.

The policy aims to create a coordinated approach to government’s use of AI and has been designed to complement and strengthen – not duplicate – existing frameworks in use by the APS.

In recognition of the speed and scale of change in this area, the policy is designed to evolve over time as the technology changes, leading practices develop, and the broader regulatory environment matures.