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GovAI supporting safe and scalable AI use across the APS

Project summary

AI is rapidly reshaping how governments operate, offering new opportunities to improve efficiency, responsiveness, and service delivery. The Australian Public Service is working to overcome key barriers to AI adoption to keep pace. Barriers include limited access to secure AI tools, lack of practical, hands-on learning environments and use cases tailored to public sector needs.

GovAI was launched on 31 July 2025 to address these challenges. This secure, APS-only service is designed to help public servants learn about and use AI in practical, responsible and collaborative ways. GovAI was developed in collaboration with APS agencies and is led by Finance.

GovAI provides a safe environment to explore AI’s potential for staff new to AI and those already working with digital tools. The platform offers 3 key service areas through the GovAI website:

  • Learn about AI: Access hands-on training and curated guidance in the Knowledge Hub or explore the catalogue of AI Apps and the Use Case Library designed for the APS.
  • Collaborate with the APS: Connect with colleagues across government through a dedicated collaboration space. Share ideas, learn from others’ experiences, and co-develop real AI use cases.
  • Build with GovAI: Develop and test use cases in a secure, purpose-built sandbox environment designed for safe experimentation.

How AI contributes to the project

GovAI provides APS staff with secure access to AI tools, enabling learning and experimentation. The platform now offers Generative AI with large language models and is adding Retrieval Augmented Generation using more knowledge sources. These technologies are being trialled across a range of APS use cases, from drafting communications and summarising documents to generating code and supporting policy development.

The GovAI hosting service supports agencies developing AI applications by offering a secure, whole-of-government sandbox environment that operates separately from primary agency networks. It is built on Azure and Azure AI Foundry and provides technical teams with the tools needed to develop agency-specific solutions. This includes accelerators, shared assets, and access to multiple models, including an onshore instance of GPT-4o. The hosting environment enables faster prototyping, safe experimentation, and reuse of apps with whole-of-government significance.

Outcomes and next steps

GovAI is a foundational initiative in the Australian Government’s broader strategy to build digital capability across the APS and enable a more efficient, productive and future-ready public service. It is laying the groundwork for safe, scalable AI adoption across the APS.

Early engagement indicates strong demand for secure experimentation, practical training and cross-agency collaboration.

The service has received positive feedback from Closed Beta Trial participants, newly onboarded users, and members of the GovAI Working Group (a cross-agency forum of AI leads and practitioners that guided the platform’s development).

GovAI will continue to expand its model catalogue and introduce new services to support a broader range of AI types and use cases. Ongoing collaboration with APS agencies will ensure the platform evolves in line with user needs, while maintaining a strong focus on safety, transparency and public value.

See also in this report

APS workplace – Productivity in the APS

Capability and leadership in the APS – Adopting AI in the APS

Find out more

Australian Government (2025) GovAI, GovAI website, accessed 4 August 2025.

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Acknowledgement of Country

The APSC acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to Elders both past and present.