Overview
Starting with AI is easy, making it work at scale is where most agencies struggle.
With more pressure to actually deliver results, NSW agencies are moving beyond experimentation and starting to put AI into real use.
This shift is being driven at a state level through Digital NSW, with clear direction set through the NSW AI Strategy, AI Policy and AI Assessment Framework, alongside broader expectations around privacy, cyber security and accountability. At a national level, the opportunity is significant, with digital innovation, including AI, estimated to contribute up to AUD $315 billion in economic value to Australia by 2030 according to research from CSIRO’s Dat61.
But while the direction is clear, capability is still catching up.
Agencies are moving from early exploration into implementation, piloting AI in service delivery, operations and policy. However, maturity remains uneven. While many organisations are already using AI in some form, only a smaller proportion are seeing consistent, organisation-wide impact. Most are still navigating capability gaps, low confidence, and challenges in scaling beyond pilots.
At the same time, expectations around governance, risk and responsible use are increasing. AI is no longer just an innovation discussion, it is becoming a leadership and accountability issue.
Successfully adopting AI in the NSW public sector is not just about deploying tools. It requires leaders who can assess use cases, manage risk, align with policy requirements, and embed AI into real workflows in a way that is safe, compliant and defensible.
Escape pilot-purgatory!
The focus now is clear: move beyond pilots, apply AI responsibly, and ensure it delivers outcomes that align with service delivery, risk and governance expectations.
This program is designed to support that shift, helping public sector leaders move from awareness to practical implementation, and ensuring AI delivers real value across their organisation.
Who Should Attend?
Senior leaders across NSW Government, including:
Executives, Directors and Senior Managers
Policy, Program and Service Delivery Leaders
Transformation, Strategy and Innovation Leads
CIOs, CDOs and Digital/Data Leaders
HR, Workforce and Organisational Transformation Leaders
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this course, you will be able to:
Understand modern AI (LLMs, RAG, agentic AI) well enough to lead, not just observe
Recognise and manage the ethical, regulatory, workforce and cyber risks unique to government AI
Collaborate more effectively with CIOs, data teams and vendors using a shared language and concrete tools
Identify the right AI use cases and avoid hype-driven or high-risk dead-ends
Prepare your workforce and organisation for AI-enabled ways of working
Leave with a practical, governed AI action plan tailored to your department
Apply the NSW AI Assessment Framework to evaluate AI use cases before implementation
Understand how privacy, cyber and legislative obligations shape AI decision-making in NSW Government
Validate whether current AI initiatives are safe, compliant and worth scaling
Know what to do (and what to avoid) when implementing AI in NSW Government contexts
In-person Training
AI for NSW Public Sector Leaders: Strategy, Governance & Practical Application
Session details
- Gain clarity on how AI applies to your role within NSW Government
- Make more informed decisions on where to invest, prioritise or avoid AI
- Strengthen your ability to lead AI initiatives with confidence and credibility
- Navigate NSW-specific governance, risk and policy expectations
- Learn from real public sector scenarios, not generic or vendor-led examples
- Walk away with practical direction aligned to NSW frameworks you can immediately act on
AI for Public Sector Leaders: Strategy, Governance & Action
30 September 2026
TBC, New South Wales
No technical background required — ideal for those responsible for strategy, risk, services or people.
Key Sessions
Welcome & Context
- Program introduction, objectives, and outcomes
- Positioning AI in the NSW Government context (AIAF, policy, governance expectations)
- Overview of the day
- Evolution: chatbots → copilots → agentic
- AI Implications for policy, HR, ICT, procurement, and service delivery
- Activity: Pain Points & Opportunities mapping (departmental focus)
- Plain-language explanation of LLMs, RAG, and agentic
- AI Risks: hallucination, bias, over-reliance and governance considerations
- Activity: “Which Answer Would You Approve?”
- How to assess AI use cases (risk, impact, readiness)
- Leadership accountability and decision-making responsibilities
- Activity: Evaluate a use case using NSW AIA
- Key AI risks: data leakage, supplier risk, model risk
- Alignment with privacy laws, cyber obligations and public trust
- Activity: Threat → Control mapping (departmental checklist)
- Balancing innovation with accountability and public value
- Transparency, explainability and when NOT to use
- AI Activity: Public Value Check (mini-case review)
- AI oversight models, roles, approvals and lifecycle governance
- Embedding AI into existing governance structures (not siloed)
- Activity: Design Your Governance Loop
- Identifying high-value, low-risk opportunities
- Avoiding hype-driven or vendor-led decisions
- Activity: Use Case Canvas & Impact vs Risk prioritisation
- Why pilots fail to scale
- Embedding AI into workflows, teams and approvals
- Activity: 90-day action planning
Closing & Next Steps
- Complete 6–12-month AI roadmap & 90-day action plan
- Summary: leading AI-enabled departments in NSW
Meet Your Facilitator
Waqas Khan
Data & AI Leader Driving Organisational Transformation | Expert in AI Governance, LLMs, Agentic AI, RAG, Data Engineering & Scalable Advanced Analytics
Waqas Khan is a data and AI leader with strong expertise in Large Language Models, agentic systems and Retrieval-Augmented Generation. Currently completing a PhD in Artificial Intelligence at RMIT University, he focuses on trustworthy and explainable AI, bringing cutting-edge research into real-world government and industry applications. He has led major analytics and modernisation initiatives, including a cloud-native procurement platform for the Department of Government Services that significantly improved visibility, governance and decision-making.
With a solid foundation in cloud data platforms, AI-enabled systems and data governance, he delivers scalable architectures that uplift operational performance and support strategic decision-making. He is known for building high-performing teams, advising senior executives on data and AI strategy and driving capability uplift across organisations. Passionate about responsible and future-focused AI, he is committed to helping organisations navigate an increasingly intelligent landscape.
Register Today
Join this training for professionals working within the Public Sector
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