AI for NSW Public Sector Leaders: Strategy, Governance & Practical Application

Cut through AI hype — know what to do, what to avoid, and make decisions you can defend

In-person | 30 September 2026 | 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM AEST
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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

No technical background required — ideal for those responsible for strategy, risk, services or people.

Learning Outcomes

  • 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

Why Attend

  • 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


Agenda

Participants are guided through a structured journey:
​Understand AI → Understand the challenges → Plan well → Act confidently

Time

Session

10:00 AM– 10:15 AM

Welcome & Context

  • Program introduction, objectives, and outcomes
  • Positioning AI in the NSW Government context (AIAF, policy, governance expectations)
  • Overview of the day

10:15 AM– 10:55 AM

Module 1 – The AI Shift: What’s Actually Changing for Government

  • Evolution: chatbots → copilots → agentic
  • AI Implications for policy, HR, ICT, procurement, and service delivery
  • Activity: Pain Points & Opportunities mapping (departmental focus)

10:55 AM– 11:40 AM

Module 2 – Understanding AI Enough to Make Decisions

  • Plain-language explanation of LLMs, RAG, and agentic
  • AI Risks: hallucination, bias, over-reliance and governance considerations
  • Activity: “Which Answer Would You Approve?”

11:40 AM – 11:50 AM

Morning Break

11:50 AM – 12:35 PM

Module 3 – Applying the NSW AI Assessment Framework

  • How to assess AI use cases (risk, impact, readiness)
  • Leadership accountability and decision-making responsibilities
  • Activity: Evaluate a use case using NSW AIAF

12:35 PM– 1:20 PM

Module 4 – Risk, Privacy & Cyber in AI Decisions

  • Key AI risks: data leakage, supplier risk, model risk
  • Alignment with privacy laws, cyber obligations and public trust
  • Activity: Threat → Control mapping (departmental checklist)

1:20 PM – 1:50 PM

Lunch Break

1:50 PM – 2:35 PM

Module 5 – Ethics, Accountability & Public Value

  • Balancing innovation with accountability and public value
  • Transparency, explainability and when NOT to use
  • AI Activity: Public Value Check (mini-case review)

2:35 PM – 3:25 PM

Module 6 – Governance Structures for Safe AI Deployment

  • AI oversight models, roles, approvals and lifecycle governance
  • Embedding AI into existing governance structures (not siloed)
  • Activity: Design Your Governance Loop

3:25 PM– 4:15 PM

Module 7 – Selecting the Right AI Use Cases

  • Identifying high-value, low-risk opportunities
  • Avoiding hype-driven or vendor-led decisions
  • Activity: Use Case Canvas & Impact vs Risk prioritisation

4:15 PM – 4:55 PM

Module 8 – From Pilot to Real Implementation

  • Why pilots fail to scale
  • Embedding AI into workflows, teams and approvals
  • Activity: 90-day action planning

4:55 PM – 5:00 PM

Closing & Next Steps

  • Complete 6–12-month AI roadmap & 90-day action plan
  • Summary: leading AI-enabled departments in NSW

Waqas Khan

Data & AI Leader Driving Organisational Transformation | Expert in AI Governance, LLMs, Agentic AI, RAG, Data Engineering & Scalable Advanced Analytics

Meet Your Facilitator

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.

Ready to level up your AI Leadership skills?

Register Early & Save!

Join peers from across government for a practical, expert-led training designed to build your capability, confidence, and career progression. Seats are limited. Register now to secure your spot. For group bookings (10+), payment enquiries or custom training options, reach out at training@publicsector.academy

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