Daniel Livesey, A/g Assistant Secretary — GovAI

By 8:30am I’ve already been cc’d on more emails than I care to count. As Acting Assistant Secretary for GovAI, my role spans policy, delivery, technology and people. The pace is constant, the decisions are consequential, and the information load is significant.

I didn’t arrive here as an AI specialist. Like most people in the APS, I came to it through curiosity — a ChatGPT account 3 years ago, followed by a gradual realisation that these tools only work if you learn how to use them well. That learning curve is exactly why we’re starting this series.

The prompts and tools below are what I actually use. Some are for high-stakes decisions. One is for cleaning my house on a Saturday morning. All of them reflect the same principle:

AI doesn’t replace judgement, leadership or accountability. What it gives me is clarity.

You don’t need to work in AI to start getting some of its benefits. Here’s what a typical day looks like for me — and a few prompts you might want to try yourself.

 

Starting the day by cutting through the noise

I begin each day with a scheduled Copilot prompt that helps me quickly understand where I need to focus. Without a clear approach, it’s easy to start the day reacting rather than leading.

Try this prompt

'Summarise emails from the past 18 hours where I was mentioned or that require my action. 
Identify:

  • urgent issues requiring immediate response
  • decisions needed from me
  • key updates from my direct reports.

Format the output as an Eisenhower matrix with urgent and important quadrants.'

What this gives me

Instead of scanning dozens of messages, I get a structured view of my responsibilities. I start the day informed and focused — rather than already behind.

 

Making informed decisions with evidence

From time to time my technical team seeks approval to procure software to support GovAI delivery. These decisions matter — financially, operationally and reputationally — so I want to be guided by evidence, not just advocacy.

When I need a quick, structured briefing before a discussion, I use AI research tools to build my understanding. I’ve found a consistent three-part prompt works well:

Try this prompt

  1. 'Overview: Give a concise explanation of [product], including what it is, key features and how it works. Limit to 150–200 words.
  2. Application: Describe three to five ways [product] could be used in [your work area], with examples relevant to Australian Government work.
  3. Comparison: Provide a table comparing ‘With [product]’ and ‘Without [product]’ across key metrics.

Ensure you provide citations for each.'

What this gives me

I can engage more deeply with my team, ask better questions, and assess requests based on impact and value — not just technical detail. Citations also let me fact-check the AI’s output and follow up on sources that warrant a closer look.

 

After hours: AI that meets you where you are

Not everything is about work.

It’s Saturday morning, the house needs cleaning, and — as someone with ADHD — task paralysis makes choosing where to simply begin genuinely difficult. I open GoblinTools and type a single sentence.

What I typed

'I need to clean my house'

What this gives me

GoblinTools turns ‘clean the house’ into a sequenced list of bite-sized, actionable steps. For example, gather cleaning supplies, start a washing cycle, open a window before tackling the shower. I have a plan. The weekend can begin.

I include this not because it’s a government use case, but because it illustrates something important: AI is most useful when it meets you where you actually are, not just in the contexts you’d expect.

Why this matters

For me, AI is not just about productivity. It’s about creating space to think, to lead, and to focus on what matters most — delivering better outcomes across government.

If you’re an APS staff member looking to start using AI more effectively, I encourage you to try one of these prompts this week. See what works for you. Adapt it. Make it yours.

 

A haiku

Brokering models,

Whole of government aligned,

One platform for all.

— Written by AI, when I asked it to capture why I do this work.

Probably couldn’t have said it better myself.

 

Tools mentioned in this post

Further resources from across the APS