Global leaders come together in Australia to shape the future of digital government and AI

At the start of November, the Digital Transformation Agency (DTA) had the privilege of hosting the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Working Party of Senior Digital Government Officials (E - Leaders) and the Expert Group on Open Government Data. This was the first time the delegation met in Australia. 

“It’s always a pleasure to host international neighbours and partners on our shores,” says Chris Fechner, CEO of the DTA. “Often we are guests, so it’s really nice change to show off the uniqueness of Australia.” 

Formal proceedings kicked off on Monday - 3 November 2025 - with an introductory video from Mathias Cormann, Secretary-General of the OECD. Mr Cormann welcomed participants and highlighted the ongoing proliferation of digital technologies, data, and AI by governments to improve public sector efficiency. 

“With 67% [of OECD countries] employing AI to improve service design and delivery, and 33% using AI to improve the effectiveness of public policies, the range of potential applications is broad and expanding,” Mr Cormann detailed. 

Despite this progress, E-Leaders attended the session to tackle some of the major challenges of governments still lagging behind the private sector in AI capability. From talent recruitment to system adaptation, there remains an underlying emphasis for strategic vision, robust safeguards, quality data, and stakeholder engagement. 

Transforming government: what could government look like in the age of AI?  

In that vein – and in the lead up to this E-Leaders meeting - the OECD released Governing with Artificial Intelligence report. This document set the themes for the opening discussion into the capacity for these innovations to not just modernise and simplify, but to transform how governments deliver for people and businesses. 

Moderated by Mr Fechner, the discussion featured speakers from United Nations Development Programme, Data61, Digital Rights Watch, and Open Knowledge Australia. Speakers emphasised that AI is rapidly reshaping public sector operations. It has the potential to offer pathways to improve service delivery, policy reform, and participatory governance. 

Panel members agreed that government adoption of AI should be human-centred, with careful consideration of public trust, privacy, and the need for clear regulatory guardrails. Real-world examples, such as AI’s role in environmental protection and service innovation, showcased how innovation can benefit communities when codesigned with service recipients at their centre. 

“The panel stressed that governments must lead by example,” explains Mr Fechner. “This includes adopting AI ethically and transparently, as well as involving citizens in decision-making processes.” 

Collaboration with industry and international partners was identified as essential to ensure trustworthy and effective AI deployment in the public sector. Part of this is the growing need for regulatory and policy coherence in AI. Speakers emphasised cross-jurisdictional cooperation to prevent harmful use and improve governance. 

The dialogue also explored forward-thinking visions for AI in public services, such as integrated citizen support, and acknowledged the rapid evolution of technology. Governments are urged to stay agile, update regulations as needed, and share experiences to better guide both innovation and risk management. 

Building trustworthy and robust AI systems in government 

The next discussion of the day focused on building trustworthy and robust AI systems within government. Delegates dove deep into how public service delivery of AI integrated services was taking place across Australia, Denmark, Korea, and Czechia. 

Australia emphasised a comprehensive, evolving suite of AI governance tools—including a responsible AI policy, technical standards, and upcoming procurement guidance. This suite of work was designed to ensure ethical, transparent, and robust AI adoption across the Australian Public Service. 

Denmark underscored the importance of cross-government collaboration, digital public infrastructure, and citizen control of data. They are developing a digital assistant architecture intended to empower users and streamline service delivery. 

Korea introduced its government-wide hyperscale AI common infrastructure, aiming to break down silos, enable secure data sharing, and accelerate efficient AI deployment across public institutions. This approach is expected to reduce costs, foster collaboration, and ensure data security, while supporting diverse agency needs. 

Czechia presented a data-first strategy, prioritising high-quality, well-described, and interoperable data as the foundation for effective AI systems. Their efforts include national data management standards, semantic data modelling, and open data policies, all designed to strengthen the data governance ecosystem for better AI outcomes. 

Subsequent discussion among participants raised several common challenges: the need for regulatory alignment with international standards, addressing human resource and skills gaps within government, fostering trust and transparency in public AI systems, and managing relationships with private sector vendors. 

Many countries are developing or updating policies to balance innovation with risk mitigation, with some, such as Slovenia, implementing national AI legislation and public sector AI registries to enhance accountability and public trust. 

From pilots to platform: scaling AI across government 

Day one concluded with a look at scaling AI in government. Representatives emphasised the shift from experimental pilot projects to broader transformation. The final section started with a major challenge facing government experimenting around the world. 

“Key challenges highlighted included the persistent prevalence of pilotitis,” relays Mr Fechner after the discussion. “This is where initiatives remain in pilot phases without broader scaling or implementation.” 

“The cure: improved monitoring, documentation, and sharing of lessons learned to enable successful.” 

Country presentations from Slovenia, Japan, Canada, France, and the UK showcased a range of approaches. These include centralised knowledge centres, systematic infrastructure investment, collaborative networks, and incubators to foster innovation and cross-government adoption. 

Speakers stressed the need for leadership and workforce development supported by interoperable platforms for secure AI deployment. 

Subsequent discussions addressed hurdles in scaling projects. Funding mechanisms, procurement, organisational change, and the need for multidisciplinary strategies were addressed. 

Delegates proposed establishing repositories for sharing best practices and calls for ongoing OECD support to facilitate collaboration. 

Tune back in 

This series will continue to cover insights from the rest of the OECD E-Leaders meeting. Tune in next week for insights from days two and three.