The Public Sector Podcast: Practical Application of AI - How Do You Get the Right AI Tools, What Do These Look Like in Action, And How Do You Embed Them to Serve?

About Our Guest

Nicholas Davis, Executive Director of UTS Human Technology Institute, leads a unique team embedded within the University of Technology Sydney. With no formal teaching or publication obligations, his team of over 30 professionals works directly with government and industry across Australia on three mission-driven priorities: responsible AI use in complex decision-making, enterprise governance for emerging technologies, and regulatory policy development. Their collaborative work spans federal and state agencies, large financial institutions, SMEs, and regulatory bodies such as the NSW AI Review Committee.

What We Discussed

In this episode, Nick delivers a clear-eyed and practical overview of how government leaders can navigate the hype, complexity, and opportunity surrounding AI. He shares lessons from working with public sector leaders overwhelmed by generative AI buzz and outlines frameworks for responsible experimentation and strategic deployment.

Key Themes Include:

• Three Strategic AI Focus Areas:
  Using AI in decision-making, governance for enterprise adoption, and shaping regulatory environments

• Cutting Through the Hype:
  Why public sector leaders need to slow down and ask clearer questions—especially when AI features are being switched on without assurance

• The AI Landscape Simplified:
  From rules-based systems and causal inference to generative and agentic AI—and how to make sense of them all

• Understanding Risk (Without the Laundry List):
  A breakdown of AI risk categories: system failures, malicious use, and overuse/misuse in public contexts

• From Tactical Tools to System Transformation:
  How to use frameworks like ROI and 2x2 decision grids to clarify use cases and scale wisely

• Real-world Implementation Advice:
  Examples of legacy upgrades using GenAI, pilot trials like Microsoft Copilot in the APS, and how facial recognition accuracy can still pose large-scale risk

• Why ROI Matters (And Why Few Are Modelling It):
  How to measure value from AI initiatives, and why complementary investments—especially in skills—are essential

• Empowering Public Sector Workers:
  The importance of involving frontline employees in AI transformation—and why union members had more practical insights than any expert panel

Why You Should Listen

This episode is a must for policymakers, public sector leaders, and digital transformation teams wrestling with how to adopt AI in a responsible, strategic, and impactful way. Nick offers grounded advice for navigating hype, addressing risk, and unlocking value—without losing sight of trust and public expectations.

Listen Now

Tune in to this episode to learn how government leaders can shift from reactive to deliberate, strategic innovation—with people and ethics at the centre.