The NSW government has established a new Office for AI to drive and coordinate an increased adoption of the technology across departments.
Sitting within Digital NSW in the Department of Customer Service, the agency will “set robust standards and provide expert advice to support best-practice use of AI in helping to enhance public sector productivity and ensure the technology and its use are trustworthy for the community”, says a statement.
The remit of the new office includes building AI literacy across the public service to ensure “agencies feel confident to incorporate the technology into solutions with tangible outcomes”.
“This new function within Digital NSW positions the NSW public sector to drive use of AI and harness its benefits across departments and agencies and for the people of NSW,” DCS chief information and digital officer Laura Christie said.
“We are building on our strong foundations to drive the trustworthiness and use of these new technologies which will change the way we support customers across the state,” added Ms Christie – who will oversee the new agency.
The government also plans to release an updated AI Assessment Framework later this year, following consultation with the CSRIO.
“Artificial intelligence is increasingly part of our everyday lives and as a government we need to make sure it is used responsibly and provides clear benefits for the community,” Minister for Customer Service and Digital Government Jihad Dib said.
The Office for AI “will set the roadmap on how to safely and responsibly incorporate and manage emerging technologies for more effective delivery of government services in the future,” he added.
Established for an initial two-year period, the office’s work will complement the role of the existing AI Review Committee, which reviews high-risk projects being proposed by government.
Committee reshuffle
Meanwhile, the committee has undergone a reorganisation and is now chaired by Edward Santow – co-director, UTS Human Technology Institute and former Human Rights Commissioner.
“I welcome the opportunity to serve as independent chair of the NSW government’s AI Review Committee, which plays a key role as part of the guardrails for the use of AI across the public sector,” Mr Santow said.
The government has also appointed seven new committee members:
- Dr Alex Antic – faculty head of AI strategy at UNSW Canberra
- Professor Nicholas Davis – co-director UTS Human Technology Institute
- Dr Kylie de Boer – board chair and non-executive director Westmead Fertility Centre
- Howard Elliott – litigation strategy advisor and expert witness
- Ajoy Ghosh – non-executive director Amnesty International Australia
- Lisa Schonstein – group chief privacy officer for QBE Insurance
- Rodney Smith – assistant commissioner State Intelligence Command NSW Police.
“I look forward to working with the new members who bring a wealth of experience and help ensure the committee is well positioned to advise on how to deliver safe, responsible and effective AI projects across NSW,” Mr Santow said.
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