Artificial Intelligence will become integrated into many, if not all government services, a soon-to-be released brief to the APS will say.

The report on how AI might affect the trustworthiness of public service delivery is the first of a series of Long-Term Insights Briefings designed to strengthen policy development and planning in the public service.

The briefings, announced as part of the government’s reform agenda, are designed to bring together experts within the public service, with community, academia, industry and the not-for-profit sector to examine specific policy challenges in the medium and long term.

The government is close to releasing AI brief, public Service Minister Katy Gallagher told an Australian Information Industry Association (AIIA) Luncheon attended by senior public servants including Finance Secretary Jenny Wilkinson, outgoing Services Australia CEO Rebecca Skinner, APS Commissioner Gordon de Brouwer and the DTA chief Chris Fechner on Tuesday.

AI must involve integrity, empathy

The document will contain key insights, including that AI will become ubiquitous and will likely be integrated into every government service.

“The final insight takes a truly long-term view, and that like much technology, AI will become ubiquitous and as such we need to invest in building AI literacy and digital connectivity of all people in the community as in time it will be integrated into many services, if not all,” Senator Gallagher said.

It will become ubiquitous and as such we need to invest in building AI literacy and digital connectivity of all people in the community as in time it will be integrated into many services, if not all.

Katy Gallagher

It will also warn that a failure to design and implement AI with integrity and empathy can have disastrous consequences, as the Robodebt scandal demonstrated.

“This points to intelligent and considered use of AI – not just wall-to-wall carpeting of a service with AI and failing to consider the human at the centre of the interaction,” the minister said.

Finally, the brief will stipulate that AI should improve the performance of the public service.

“These insights not only will inform development of government policy, but also organisations dealing with government should consider these, and think how they can inform your approach to what solutions you develop and offer to government,” Senator Gallagher said.

New taskforce

She said the brief would complement a new AI Taskforce, announced by the government this week, which will look at the risks and benefits of AI systems in the public service and help ensure government agencies use AI in a safe and responsible way.

The Taskforce will operate for six months and be led by the DTA and the Department of Industry, Science and Resources.

It will bring together technical, policy, and general expertise from secondees from across the APS.

AI had the potential to improve productivity within the APS and make government services better for Australians, Senator Gallagher said, but it also presented risks.

“The taskforce is going to create the necessary guardrails for the use of AI in public service, and provide important advice, direction, and tools for agencies to leverage the technology safely,” she said.

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