Groundbreaking technology to improve the way services are delivered for people across NSW is set to be enabled through a new Office for Artificial Intelligence (AI).
Minister for Customer Service and Digital Government, Jihad Dib said the Office for AI within Digital NSW in the Department of Customer Service will help drive and coordinate the safe, strategic adoption of AI across the NSW Government.
It 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, he said.
“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,” said Mr Dib.
“The new Office for AI will not only lead NSW’s use of AI but 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.”
The new office will also build AI literacy across the public service to ensure agencies feel confident to incorporate the technology into solutions with tangible outcomes, like a recent trial of smart school zone signs in the Hunter which respond to vehicle behaviour in busy pedestrian areas.
While Generative AI (GenAI) is expected to contribute around $115 billion to the Australian economy by 2030, the dedicated office will help identify and limit risk in order to maximise potential benefits, said Government Chief Information and Digital Officer, Laura Christie.
“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,” said Ms Christie.
“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.”
The Government also plans to release an updated AI Assessment Framework later this year, following a partnership with the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO).
The Office for AI has been established for an initial two-year period, reflecting the rapid changes in this evolving technology area. Its work will complement the role of the existing AI Review Committee which reviews high-risk AI projects being proposed by the NSW Government.
From 3 September, the AI Review Committee will be chaired by an independent member, Edward Santow, Co-Director, UTS Human Technology Institute and Former Human Rights Commissioner for Australia.
“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,” said Mr Santow.
“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.”
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).
To see the full list of AIRC members visit: www.digital.nsw.gov.au/policy/digital-assurance/ai-review-committee.
