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Guidance on Government use of Public Generative AI Tools

https://www.digital.gov.au/policy/ai/staff-guidance-public-generative-ai

OECD analyst

28 Aug 2026

OECD analyst

28 Aug 2026

This initiative provides updated guidance to help Australian Government agencies safely use publicly available generative AI tools, such as chatbots that can draft text, summarise documents, or answer questions. The guidance explains how staff can use these tools with government information that is not classified or sensitive while protecting personal and commercial information. The guidance was updated to reflect new information security advice from the Department of Home Affairs.

Initiative overview

This initiative is a set of guidance materials developed by the Digital Transformation Agency (DTA) to help Australian Government agencies and staff safely and responsibly use publicly available generative AI tools — such as chatbots that can draft text, summarise documents, or answer questions. The guidance includes separate materials for agencies and individual staff, practical examples of appropriate and inappropriate use, and resources in poster format that agencies can reuse and adapt for their own workforces.

Generative AI tools are widely available and increasingly used across the Australian community, and government staff are seeking to use them in their work. However, many agencies have been cautious about enabling access, and in some cases staff have used these tools on personal devices or outside approved systems without clear direction. This creates risks for government information security and limits staff from building practical skills with a rapidly evolving technology. The DTA developed this guidance to address these risks by giving agencies and staff the confidence and clarity to provide broad access to public AI tools quickly and at low cost. The guidance was updated to complement new Department of Home Affairs guidance on information security considerations for using official government information with public generative AI tools. It is built around three principles: protect privacy and safeguard government information; critically assess AI outputs; and take ownership of your advice and decisions.

This initiative directly supports the APS AI Plan 2025 commitment to accelerate safe and responsible AI adoption across the public service. The guidance was released through APS AI Accountable Officials and is a deliverable in the APS AI Plan. Communications materials were distributed through APS professional networks so agencies could tailor messaging for their workforces, and the DTA published practical case studies demonstrating how the guidance applies in real scenarios.

The guidance will be updated at regular intervals as AI technology, security settings, and patterns of use across government evolve. It forms part of a broader suite of DTA AI policy and guidance, including the Policy for the Responsible Use of AI in Government and the AI Impact Assessment Tool, that together support agencies to adopt AI at pace while managing risk effectively.

Other relevant details

Results, outcomes and impacts: The guidance has been well received by senior executives across agencies and has supported the uptake of both public and enterprise AI tools. It is consistently one of the most visited pages on the DTA's website. Independent research (Appian, Q4 2025) found that 70% of Australian public sector workers now report AI is integrated into their daily tasks, up from 58% a year earlier, with staff confidence in using AI also rising from 59% to 68%. While this shift cannot be attributed to a single initiative, this guidance played a direct role in widening access to generative AI across the public service and giving agencies the confidence to act. As AI adoption matures, the DTA expects the guidance to continue driving safe use across agencies. Challenges and lessons learned: A key challenge was providing clear, accessible guidance for staff while respecting agencies' authority to set their own rules on AI use. Guidance had to be practical enough to drive consistent behaviour without being so prescriptive that it overstepped agency decision-making. Required close engagement with agencies and a deliberate choice to make all materials adaptable. The guidance helps staff understand the distinction and check with their agency if unsure, but this remains an evolving challenge. The initiative benefited from strong timing. Its release coincided with clear government messaging from ministers and senior officials about the need to accelerate AI adoption, which created receptive conditions across agencies. A key lesson is that guidance alone does not resolve underlying barriers to adoption - it must sit within a broader ecosystem of policy, tools, and capability support. Some service delivery agencies continue to restrict public AI tools due to privacy concerns.

About the policy initiative

Australia

Category:

Regulations, guidelines and standards

Initiative type:

Guidance document (instructions on how to implement a law, regulation, policy or other rule)

Status:

Active

Start Year:

2024

Binding:

Non-binding

Target Sectors:

Public sector

OECD AI Principles:

Other relevant urls:

Files:

web-traffic-data-guidance...

AI in Digital Health

The Digital Health Agency’s AI initiative aims to improve how health information is used to support safer, more connected care for Australians. It helps clinicians and consumers by providing faster insights and reducing manual work. The initiative was created to address growing demand for timely, reliable health information and to ensure emerging AI tools are used safely and responsibly in the health system.

Start year: 2026