Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee, , 50:12 to 55:52
The department provides an update on its adoption of artificial intelligence, mandatory staff training, and the use of Microsoft 365 Co-pilot.
Topics: Artificial intelligence, Government IT systems
Speakers: Amanda Charas, Speaker 4, Tess Bishop, Speaker 3, Interjection, Ms. Amanda Charas, Ms. Tess Bishop, Speaker 1
questions if that's okay. Senator Sull just want to ask about the department's use of AI if I can please um can the department provide an overview of how artificial intelligence has been used prior to the publication of the AI plan for the Australian public service 2025.
Uh yes, Senator. Um AI has been in use within the department um
on a small scale >> and and you're now implementing the uh the AI plan for the Australian public service. >> Yes, that's correct, Senator. >> And uh what's the status of that
implementation? >> Uh Senator, we are um well underway in our implementation. We have um we have established the two positions that are um required. Uh but to give further information, we've got our chief information officer and chief data officer at the table for you who can give you all of the detail.
>> Uh good morning. Amanda Charas, chief digital and data officer. Uh so we are well underway in implementing the APS AI plan. Um in terms of policy and guidance material, we have an AI policy uh in draft and an assurance framework that's circulating for staff consultation. We are participating in the AI review committee uh at the whole of government level. We've updated our procurement and contract information in terms of specificity of use of AI uh and the parameters around that. Um we've had uh 300 3,777 DAFF staff undertake the mandatory training for AI uh to date which uh is a little over half >> just under >> just under half. Um uh we have obviously allocated the roles the chief AI officer role which I've undertaken and um the accountable officer role which my colleague u Mr. Rebikov has undertaken to split the roles to make sure there is um one SCES officer that is focused on adoption strategy and use case and the other is focused on compliance uh ethics and making sure that everything is assured properly. So we split those roles uh and we're working with department of finance in terms of the govai platform um to safely trial
different initiatives. So I'll come to the platform but uh in terms of so you've got a chief AI officer that's >> that's right that's myself >> that's you okay thank you uh SCS level is that >> yes that's right >> the um so in terms of the platform that you're using uh have it so you've adopted is it uh Microsoft 365 co-pilot is that that you >> co-pilot that's right yes >> and so you're limited to that when it comes to a large language model
>> that is what we're using in the department. That's right. We are also partnering um department of finance have the gov AI platform. >> We are testing things in that platform. So that means within that tenency and
>> on the gov team's tenency. That's right. >> Um and so prior to the prior to the implementation of the plan, what what's the department? Has it been a little ad hoc? uh were there any policies at all in place in terms of um staff using uh any particular program?
>> Yes. So um we did have guidance uh on the use of generative AI and AI in general which we adopted. So the DTA provided guidance uh several years ago. We adopted that guidance and we participated in the whole of government um AI assurance pilot which happened. So they provided some assurance information and we adopted that assurance framework. Um we've had uh two machine learning models in place. So our abears research area has two uh machine learning models that are used for predicting farm performance based on ingesting um data from you know climate data and general performance data and looking at commodity prices over time. So aside from co-pilot, those two machine learning models are the only other AI
tools that we have in play. >> Okay. And so the training is mandatory if you're going to use any of those systems.
>> Correct.
>> And uh so what percentage of staff then have undertaken the training? I know you mentioned a number before in terms of the number. What does that what does that mean as a percentage? >> 47%. >> Okay. So the others are expected to to complete that training.
>> That's correct. It's um now mandatory under the uh policy and we have uh rolled out the training as a part of our mandatory policies within the suite of various training um activities within
the department. >> Yeah. And is it clear to to all staff uh what what your policies are and uh what the ramifications would be if there's use of of any tool outside of the approved list.
>> Correct. Yes. So on our internet we have something called the AI hub which has all of the guidance material policies frameworks etc that staff are expected to comply with and they cannot get access to the co-pilot tool until they've undertaken the mandatory
training. >> Excellent. Thank you for that. Uh my last question is just just need some guidance on where to ask some questions later today. Uh if you could help me. Uh so I want to ask about the WA demeral fishing ban. Is that outcome one or two?
>> That's outcome. Well, outcome one and perhaps Athma as well depending on the
nature of your questions. >> Okay. Outcome one. Yeah. Great. Thank
you. >> Thanks.