The AI Plan for the Australian Public Service (APS) will improve government service delivery, policy outcomes, efficiency, and productivity, through substantially increasing the use of AI in government. Every public servant will have the training and guidance required to use generative AI safely and responsibly, alongside secure access to generative AI tools, and every agency will have a Chief AI Officer to drive adoption, with AI use tracked and reported on.
Initiative overview
The Australian Government is focused on capturing the opportunity of AI and, to ensure the benefits of this technology are shared equitably, creating a higher standard of living for all Australians. The APS AI Plan positions the government to improve service delivery, policy outcomes, efficiency and productivity by substantially increasing the safe and responsible use of AI in government. The APS AI Plan is built around three core pillars that work together to enable the safe, effective and scalable use of artificial intelligence across the Australian Public Service.
- Trust Pillar. Focuses on ensuring AI is used safely, ethically and transparently. It builds on existing security and privacy safeguard governing the use of ICT and data and strengthens governance and improves transparency to maintain public trust, manage risk, and ensure AI use aligns with APS values and community expectations.
- People Pillar. Focuses on building capability and supporting the public service workforce by ensuring ensures public servants are equipped with the right skills to use AI responsibly and effectively. This includes access to training, consultation and engagement, and other support to use AI confidently and responsibly, recognising the impact of AI on roles, skills and ways of working.
- Tools Pillar. Focuses on empowering the public service workforce through access to secure, fit for purpose AI technologies. It supports the rollout of shared platforms and tools that enable efficient adoption of AI, collaboration across government, and reuse of solutions where possible.
APS AI Plan 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.
- 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 the government’s approach. AI transformation needs to be coordinated across the pillars of trust, people and tools.
- Driving systemic adoption. Advancing AI maturity requires a coordinated program of projects and investments Implementation of the APS AI Plan.
