AI CoLab Workshop - Generative AI and its use in government policy work
This workshop will present the initial findings of a project conducted by researchers at UNSW Canberra and the ANU on the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence in government policy work. In this project researchers spoke to 37 senior executives across 22 state, territory and federal government agencies about their experiences of GenAI and plans for use of these technologies in the future.
The research found a range of ways that GenAI is currently being used in policy work and a variety of opinions as to the degree that these technologies will be transformational in nature. Some participants spoke of the potential of GenAI to fundamentally transform policy work, while others see it as the latest tech hype that will start to lose traction soon.
In this session Helen Dickinson and Jade Hart are keen to share and discuss the implications of this work for the future of policy work.
Helen Dickinson is a Professor of Public Service Research at UNSW Canberra. Her expertise includes disability policy design, evaluation, performance management, and digital technologies in public services. Helen has published 20 books and over 120 peer-reviewed articles. She was named a Victorian Fellow of the Institute of Public Administration Australia in 2015, a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences in 2019, and one of Apolitical’s 100 most influential academics in government in 2021. She has collaborated with various government, community, and private organizations in Australia, the UK, New Zealand, and Europe.
Jade Hart is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow with the UNSW Canberra Public Service Research Group. She holds a PhD with The University of Melbourne in the field of implementation science which examines the adoption of evidence into practice and policy. As a public services researcher, she is focused on safety and quality oversight, system stewardship, and systems thinking. Her professional background includes senior government executive, management consulting, and research program roles.
This is a collaborative and open session through the AI CoLab (join.aicolab.org), so please only bring things to share that are unclassified. Consistent with the AI CoLab MoU and Charter it’s a cross-sector event.