How We Think

Adapability is fast becoming a core capability for public sector success. This article explores how individuals, leaders, and organisations can build the capacity to navigate complexity and change.

The March 2025 update to the Digital Transformation Agency’s AI Model Clauses represents a timely and essential advancement in the Australian Government’s approach to Artificial Intelligence (AI) procurement. As AI becomes integral to delivering services, guiding decision-making, and streamlining internal operations, these clauses offer essential legal and ethical frameworks for responsible adoption.

You know the drill: "Don't trust AI," they say. "It's grabbing all your data. Nothing's safe." I've heard it too. And whilst I have wondered about the veracity of people's claims, I've never looked into it myself to confirm - up until now.

Without considering the worldwide market for ERPs, agency personnel have ended up not knowing what good looks like.

Imagine this. You’re at a barbeque. And someone asks – So, who’s your CDMO? You say – Our what? What’s a CDMO? Your new BBQ mate says – Ah… CDMO stands for Chief Data Minimisation Officer. Doesn’t your company have one? You respond – Ah, no... So, what exactly does your CDMO do? With a bemused look, your BBQ friend replies – Well, they manage our data assets, review data inventories and ensure that any data, if it hits its use-by-date, gets destroyed, or temporarily stored in low-cost encrypted platforms. 

This article explores how AI could reshape the role of the procurement professional—not by replacing them, but by expanding their purpose. We consider three possible shifts: the evolution of procurement as a strategic function, the partnership between humans and machines, and the challenge of embedding ethics and trust in AI-enabled processes.