Bethany Alvaro 
The Public Service AI Work Programme is the NZ government’s two-year strategy to “accelerate the uptake of AI” in public service and other government departments.
Four overarching focus areas have been carved out to spearhead the program and drive specific usage: common use tools, safe and responsible AI, customer and partnerships, and AI workforce.
The program will help “recognise the potential productivity gains from artificial intelligence”, the government said.
“[AI is] central to lifting public service performance and helping transform government services for New Zealanders.”
“The work programme aims to accelerate the uptake of AI through the public service by modelling best practice in safe and responsible AI use.”
The common use tools area aims to speed up the progression of consistent and consolidated AI tools, mirrored by the AI workforce segment, which seeks to effectively and efficiently train public service workers with the skills needed for “confidence” in AI usage.
This will be achieved through executive and practitioner innovation and training, creating a marketplace for AI training suppliers, and community practice.
Customer and partnership growth is an additional facet of this program that seeks to create a “dynamic ecosystem, strategic relationships with trusted AI suppliers and regular international knowledge-sharing”.
Inspired by international efforts to utilise AI effectively, such as Australia’s recently announced National AI Plan, the program outlines that “New Zealand will benefit from global best practice in AI”.
Underpinning the entirety of the initiative is the safe and responsible use of this technology into national government operations. In descriptions of the program, governance and safeguarded usage are highlighted as major priorities to ensure that any scepticism about its security is quelled.
“This focus maintains trust in AI by modelling principles for safe, ethical and responsible use, embedding Māori views, transparency, fairness and other considerations into AI services and tools.”
The program is set to be launched this year and will last until 2027.