A new leadership role for a new era of public service 

Under the APS AI Plan, Australian Public Service agencies are expected to appoint a Chief AI Officer (CAIO) by 30 June 2026. CAIOs will be a senior leader who will guide how their agency adopts and uses AI, especially generative AI, as it rapidly reshapes the way government operates, delivers services, and supports Australians. 

While agencies already have AI Accountable Officials (AOs) focused on risk and governance, the CAIO plays a different and complementary role: driving opportunity, transformation, and strategic adoption. 

 

What does a CAIO do? 

CAIOs provide the strategic leadership needed to ensure the APS keeps pace with fastmoving AI technologies. Their focus is less on technical detail and more on opportunity, transformation and systemwide coordination. 

Core responsibilities 

  • Champion AI adoption across the agency and identify where it can meaningfully improve outcomes for the public. 
  • Accelerate AI capability development, ensuring staff can use the technology safely and effectively. 
  • Lead strategic change, challenging outdated assumptions and helping overcome cultural and organisational barriers as they arise. 
  • Work across domains—technology, data, HR, policy, cybersecurity, privacy—to ensure AI is adopted responsibly and coherently. 
  • Collaborate across the APS, working closely with other CAIOs and the new AI Delivery and Enablement (AIDE) function in Finance. 

Why this role matters 

AI is not just another technology upgrade—it’s a general-purpose capability that will affect everything we do. Traditional ICT and governance cycles are not suited to the rapid rate of AI’s evolution. Without focused leadership, agencies risk failing to make the most of the opportunities provided by these new capabilities.  

 

CAIOs enable the APS to: 

  • move from experimentation to systematic, responsible adoption 
  • take a whole of organisation view of AI risks and opportunities  
  • build momentum when the path ahead is uncertain 
  • avoid stagnation by balancing innovation with proper governance. 

 

CAIO resources 

The AI Delivery and Enablement team has developed a dedicated CAIO information pack to support agencies in appointing a CAIO and an accompanying blog for newly appointed CAIOs.  

 

Chief AI Officers 

APS agencies are progressively formalising the appointment of Chief AI Officers (CAIOs) to lead safe, strategic and transformational AI adoption. Agencies who have appointed a CAIO are listed below:

  • Australian Communications and Media Authority
  • Attorney-General's Department
  • Australian Federal Police
  • Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority
  • Australian Research Council
  • Cancer Australia
  • Climate Change Authority
  • Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
  • Department of Finance
  • Department of Home Affairs
  • Department of Parliamentary Services
  • Department of the Senate
  • Department of Veterans' Affairs
  • High Speed Rail Authority
  • IP Australia
  • National Anti-Corruption Commission
  • National Disability Insurance Agency
  • NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission
  • Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility

 

Agencies are responsible for ensuring AIDE is notified if their CAIO nomination ceases or when new CAIOs are appointed by emailing aide@finance.gov.au