Artificial intelligence (AI), while not new, is a transformative technology undergoing accelerated development and adoption.
It presents great opportunities for all levels of government to transform public service delivery and enhance societal, economic and environmental wellbeing.
However, we know there are risks with governments’ use of AI that require careful oversight, including legal, privacy, security and ethical risks such as bias and fairness. The importance of managing these risks has been outlined in the Australian Government’s interim response to the safe and responsible use of AI consultation.
We recognise that public confidence and trust is essential to governments embracing the opportunities and realising the full potential of AI. To gain public confidence and trust, we commit to being exemplars in the safe and responsible use of AI. This requires a lawful, ethical approach that places the rights, wellbeing and interests of people first.
This national framework for the assurance of AI in government is a key step towards gaining public confidence and trust in the safe and responsible use of AI by Australia’s governments.
Based on Australia’s AI Ethics Principles, it sets foundations for a nationally consistent approach to AI assurance, providing clear expectations, as well as consistency and certainty for our partners. It will assist governments to develop, procure and deploy AI in a safe and responsible way.
We recognise the scale and nature of AI developments can be uncertain. However, by embedding a principles-based approach in this national framework, we commit to flexibility, responsiveness, continuing collaboration and improvement of our AI assurance processes.
Our commitment to putting the rights, wellbeing and interests of people first remains steadfast and unchanged.
