TLDR: The Australian federal government has launched its ‘AI Plan for the Australian Public Service (APS) 2025,’ aiming to integrate artificial intelligence, particularly generative AI, across public departments to enhance service delivery, policy outcomes, and productivity. The plan focuses on trust, people, and tools, with provisions for secure access to AI tools, mandatory training, and the appointment of Chief AI Officers in every agency.
The Australian federal government has officially rolled out its ambitious ‘AI Plan for the Australian Public Service (APS) 2025,’ a strategic initiative designed to embed artificial intelligence, especially generative AI, across its public departments. Announced on November 12, 2025, the plan seeks to leverage AI to deliver improved and faster government services, enhance policy outcomes, and boost overall productivity for all Australians.
Minister for Finance Senator Katy Gallagher highlighted the government’s vision, stating that the plan aims for “every public servant to have access to secure generative AI directly from their laptop.” This widespread access will be complemented by foundational training and comprehensive guidance to ensure the safe, responsible, and effective use of these advanced tools. The plan specifically eyes the integration of leading generative AI platforms such as ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini, with the Department of Home Affairs already having conducted necessary security assessments for products from Anthropic and OpenAI, deeming them suitable for use with official government information.
At its core, the APS AI Plan is built upon three fundamental pillars: ‘Trust,’ focusing on transparency, ethics, and robust governance; ‘People,’ emphasizing capability building and engagement; and ‘Tools,’ ensuring access, infrastructure, and support. To drive this transformation, every agency within the APS will be required to appoint a senior executive-level Chief AI Officer by July of next year. Furthermore, a new AI review committee will be established to provide whole-of-government oversight and ensure the consistent and responsible deployment of AI, particularly for high-risk use cases across the APS.
Senator Gallagher underscored the government’s commitment to responsible AI adoption, asserting, “AI adoption across the APS is not about replacing people.” This sentiment was echoed in the plan’s emphasis on human-centric, safe, responsible, transparent, fair, ethical, and legal AI use. The government also intends to develop its own ‘Gov AI Chat’ as an extension of its existing Gov AI platform, further tailoring AI solutions to public service needs.
While largely welcomed, the plan has also drawn attention from unions. The Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU) acknowledged that the plan reflects many of its priorities, including the implementation of comprehensive mandatory training across the APS. However, the union expressed ongoing concerns regarding potential job losses and their impact on services and public sector workers. The CPSU emphasized the critical need for continuous consultation with staff and unions, stating, “The successful adoption of AI and automation technologies in the APS requires all workers to be consulted, supported and secure in their jobs, now and into the future.” The union stressed that this consultation is not optional and must be ongoing to ensure fairness, transparency, and accountability.
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In a related development, Services Australia also released its ‘Automation and Artificial Intelligence Strategy 2025-27,’ aligning with the broader federal initiative. This strategy aims to leverage automation and AI to improve customer and staff experiences, reduce operational costs, enhance service integrity, and build public trust. The overarching goal is to modernize and enhance service delivery, making government services simpler for Australians.
