Anita Fraser, Community Manager, AI Delivery and Enablement

There’s a lot of discussion about the ‘vision’, ‘plan’ or ‘policy’ for AI in government. Frameworks, ethics and efficiency matter. But after our recent Foundation Day (designed to build something solid as a new division, not just a ‘planning day’), I was reminded of something simpler. The real engine of change isn’t the structure, the process or the technology (ahem AI!). It’s the peer-to-peer connections that help people share what’s working, what’s not, and what they’ve learnt along the way.

If we want to keep pace with AI, we need to learn and adapt together. I’ve been a community manager in the APS for a few years now. Here are a few things I’ve seen that help communities thrive (and a few things that can get in the way).

Peer power

People don’t want a glossy brochure or a sales pitch. They want practical lessons from someone who has tried it in a similar APS context: what worked, what didn’t, and what they’d do differently next time. Often, that’s useful even when the work isn’t ‘finished’ yet. Practitioners (and curious learners) usually want to know: what made you try something new, what slowed you down, and what you learnt from a setback. Sharing those specifics is what builds trust and helps others start sooner.

The safe space

If people don’t have a place within their agency to workshop ideas, compare notes, and learn from small failures, they’ll look elsewhere. Communities and internal guilds can provide that ‘third space’; a safe, practical place to ask questions and build confidence. And a place to move faster based off each others shared work.

Leaders who 'walk the talk'

There’s a difference between a leader who ‘opens an event’ and a leader who stays to listen and engage. Both matter but the leader who engages genuinely is the one that makes the true difference. Staff want to point to their leadership as good corporate citizens and feel a sense of pride. When leaders 'walk the talk' they create a culture worth staying and working for. 

The CAIO role (and what good looks like)

We’ve had a few questions about which entities must appoint a Chief AI Officer (CAIO). In short: all non-corporate Commonwealth entities must appoint a CAIO. For Commonwealth corporate entities and Commonwealth companies, we strongly encourage appointing one too—because AI will affect our everyday lives and parts of government. Check the news headlines, it is already with industry!

When we talk about CAIOs, it helps to be clear about the day-to-day: who can convene the right people, set strategic direction, and support safe and responsible adoption of AI across an agency.

Seniority

  • CAIOs should be senior executives, with the authority to convene, prioritise and remove blockers
  • the right level will vary by agency size. In some cases, the CAIO may sit at agency head level
  • the CAIO role is complementary to the Accountable Official role but has key differences. CAIOs are the accelerators, the transformers for agencies. I would like to think them as the Bumble Bee, the highly efficient pollinators.

Capabilities and approach

  • a mix of backgrounds and perspectives—because good stewardship of AI isn’t just a technical job.

We need leaders who are:

  • lived-experience experts: People who have made change, failed, and won
  • people movers: Those who understand the power of the collective
  • proud ‘recyclers’: Leaders willing to collaborate, learn, and adopt ideas from their peers rather than reinventing the wheel to look unique.

Stewardship, not competition

This isn’t a race to see which agency is ‘best’ at AI. It’s a journey we are all on, and can share learnings as we lift our capability across the public service. People interacting with government mostly care whether the service solves their need. That’s why connecting and sharing across the APS matters—and why we’re building a CAIO community.

Community blockers

Even when the intent is good, a few common patterns can make communities harder to build and sustain:

  • over-controlling the message: if engagement only happens on our terms, participation drops, the message only goes so far and we don’t take advantage of what is available. Communities work best when we meet people where they already are and make it easy to contribute
  • competition: when we run siloed events or drive a specific narrative rather than a collaborative effort, we can end up duplicating efforts. A community approach helps scale and create value for money
  • time-poor (and sometimes tired) teams: many people want to improve how we work, but they’re stretched. Communities can be an easy way to spread a message, learn what is happening across the service, leverage off each other's resources and give staff access to capability learning events.

What’s your take?

If any of this resonates with you, here are some ways to get involved:

  • If you’re a senior executive in a Commonwealth entity and you don’t have a CAIO yet, encourage your agency to get moving. Once a CAIO is nominated email aide@finance.gov.au.
  • If your team is already using AI (or exploring it), share what you’re learning. We can help connect you with your CAIO or the AIDE team.
  • If you are an individual or agency who wants to connect with more likeminded peers and see the great work across the APS, find your tribe.