Release of Queensland Government Artificial Intelligence Policy

The Queensland Government Customer and Digital Group (QGCDG) recently released the much anticipated Artificial Intelligence Governance Policy.

The policy applies to all Queensland Government departments and statutory bodies under the Financial and Performance Management Standard 2019 (Qld).

There are two policy requirements:

1. agencies must conduct a comprehensive risk assessment before using artificial intelligence (AI); and
2. agencies must establish AI governance arrangements based on ISO 38507 Information technology - Governance implications of the use of artificial intelligence (AI) by organisations.

The policy does not explicitly address the use of QChat, the Queensland Government’s AI-powered virtual assistant, by agencies.

Two additional documents have been released to assist agencies in complying with the policy:

• Foundational artificial intelligence risk assessment (FAIRA) guideline; and
• Foundational artificial intelligence risk assessment (FAIRA) framework.

The release of the AI Governance Policy comes shortly after the publication of the Microsoft Copilot Guideline and the far earlier publication of the Use of Generative AI in Queensland Government Guideline.  As the use of AI becomes increasingly widespread and unavoidable, additional guidelines and policies are likely to be released by the Queensland Government.

At the Federal level, the Australian Government has also recently released its Voluntary AI Safety Standard and has opened consultation on introducing mandatory guardrails for AI in high-risk settings.