Public Sector AI Research | Strategen AI

Research on AI adoption and governance for Australian government agencies and public sector organisations.

What this research covers

Public sector AI adoption operates under conditions that differ fundamentally from private sector deployment. Australian government agencies face ministerial accountability, Freedom of Information obligations, public trust expectations and audit scrutiny that create governance requirements with no private-sector equivalent. The question for government AI is not merely whether a system works, but whether it can be explained, audited and justified to ministers, oversight bodies and the public. Strategen AI's public sector research examines how Commonwealth and state government agencies can adopt AI responsibly — with governance built for the accountability obligations of the public sector environment.

Why this matters for Australian organisations

Procurement is the primary point at which AI governance choices are made in government. Most public sector AI is sourced through vendors — which means procurement frameworks must embed governance requirements at the point of acquisition rather than retrospectively. Research in this hub examines procurement frameworks, contract terms, vendor due diligence methodologies and the AI-specific clauses that government agencies should be including in technology contracts. We also examine the policy frameworks that are most effective in enabling responsible AI adoption at pace — recognising that excessive caution carries its own costs in public service delivery outcomes and national competitive capability.

The APIG framework connection

Public sector AI adoption requires particular rigour across all four APIG dimensions. Actors include citizens, ministers, officials and oversight bodies — each with distinct roles in how AI decisions are made, disclosed and challenged. Practices are subject to transparency and equity obligations. Infrastructure must satisfy PSPF and ISM requirements and data sovereignty constraints. And governance must satisfy ministerial accountability, FOI readiness and Auditor-General scrutiny in ways that exceed commercial governance requirements.

Learn more about the APIG framework

Research papers in this hub

Agency as a Service reframes AI adoption as outsourcing organisational judgement, decision rights, and accountability.

Category: AI Governance | Year:

AI leadership appointments are governance decisions requiring better mandates, panels, and assessment criteria.

Category: Recruitment, AI Strategy, Operating Model | Year:

Related research hubs

Advisory services informed by this research