AI Expert Advisory Panel to shape public sector use in New Zealand
The Government Chief Digital Officer has established an Artificial Intelligence Expert Advisory Panel to provide guidance on the responsible use of AI within New Zealand's public service.
The panel is composed of individuals from private and public sector backgrounds and academia, with the objective of advising government agencies on the application of artificial intelligence in the delivery of services to the public.
The key functions of the AI Expert Advisory Panel include providing system leadership, setting operational standards, and guiding the uptake of AI across public service entities.
Panel's remit
The panel operates under the direction of the Government Chief Digital Officer, who may request technical analysis on specific issues or commission peer reviews of agency work relating to AI. The panel's role is purely advisory, and any recommendations or views expressed do not necessarily represent those of the panel members individually, but are aligned with the perspectives of the government and the GCDO.
Panel members will be serving terms of up to two years and will assist in ensuring that AI is implemented in a way that is safe, efficient, and aligned with public interests.
Professor leads the panel
The panel will be chaired by Professor Michael Witbrock, Professor of Computer Science at the University of Auckland. Professor Witbrock leads both the Strong AI Lab (SAIL) and the Natural, Artificial, and Organisational Intelligence Institute (NAOI) at the university. He holds a PhD in Computer Science from Carnegie Mellon University in the United States and a Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Physiological Psychology from the University of Otago.
Professor Witbrock's industry and academic experience includes serving as Science Director at Precision Driven Health in New Zealand and leading the 'Learning to Reason' AI team at IBM's Thomas J. Watson Research Centre in the United States. He is an executive council member of the AI Forum NZ and currently chairs the AI for Good Foundation.
The AI Expert Advisory Panel will play a pivotal role in the coordination of: system leadership, setting standards, stewarding AI uptake across public service agencies.
Professor Witbrock, alongside other panel members, is expected to contribute to the development and oversight of frameworks and initiatives that will shape the future use of AI in the public sector.
Panel composition
The AI Expert Advisory Panel members, as named by the GCDO, are:
Ms Frith Tweedie, Principal and Director of Simply Privacy; Mr Paul Littlefair, Chief Digital and Technology Officer at Kiwibank; Dr Te Taka Keegan, Co-Director Māori, Artificial Intelligence Institute, University of Waikato; Mr David Shanks, Acting Deputy Commissioner, Enterprise and Integrity Services at Inland Revenue; and Mr David Downs, Chief Executive Officer of New Zealand Story.
Mr Andrew Jackson of the Policy Hub at Victoria University of Wellington has been appointed as an observer to the panel, providing additional policy insight.
Focus on responsible adoption
The formation of this panel is described as an important step towards the responsible and secure incorporation of artificial intelligence technologies in government operations and public service delivery.
This is a significant step towards ensuring the safe and responsible adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) within the public service.
The GCDO and the advisory panel are expected to provide ongoing support to public service agencies, focusing on both immediate challenges and the long-term considerations associated with AI in government.
