New central register of AI transparency statements for Commonwealth entities

The DTA has published a centralised register of AI (artificial intelligence) transparency statements for all reporting Commonwealth entities. Transparency statements, a requirement of the Policy for the responsible use of AI in government, are publicly available statements that outline an agency’s approach to AI adoption.

‘By publishing a centralised place for transparency statements, we’re making it easier for the public, researchers, and other stakeholders to understand how AI is being used across the Commonwealth,’ explains Lauren Mills, Acting Deputy CEO for Strategy, Planning and Performance at the DTA. ‘These statements were always intended to be living documents — never a set and forget exercise.’

All 94 agencies subject to the AI transparency standard have met their publishing obligations, with a further 20 agencies voluntarily publishing statements. Bringing this information together in one place provides a clearer, more complete picture of AI use across government.  

Ongoing support for agencies

Beyond this support for the AI transparency standard, the DTA also provides regular briefings for accountable officials – informed by the Standard for accountability – to improve all facets of AI adoption across the Australian Public Service.

A focus of these sessions has been how to uplift the quality of transparency statements released by agencies actively rolling our AI solutions.

“Beyond making sure the quality of these documents is continually improving, the DTA is also exploring how to ensure agencies update content based on the requirements under the standard – including the evolving use of AI within government,” outlines Ms Mills. “With this centralised transparency register, we have the opportunity to track these major updates as they happen.”

This register is the latest in a suite of resources to support responsible, transparent AI adoption across government.  

The DTA has also recently released its Guidance for AI proof of concept to scale. This guidance helps agencies move beyond isolated AI experiments and achieve meaningful adoption. It ensures these initiatives deliver value and that AI is embedded responsibly within government operations and services.

Upcoming work will also expand on our technical standard for government’s use of artificial intelligence to encompass agentic AI. Details of this addendum are slated to be published in the coming months.

The DTA also continues to work towards major deliverables under the AI Plan for the Australian Public Service 2025. This includes establishing an AI Review Committee to enhance whole-of-government oversight. Details of the committee are due mid-2026.