2026 will be a watershed year as AI efforts shift from experimentation to value-based investments. As the technology continues to evolve, CIOs will need to pivot and ensure that they are aligned with the changing board and executive positions.
Moving from task automation to agentic operating models requires structural redesign, rigorous governance, and new orchestration roles to ensure operational excellence.
AI in government is no longer experimental. It is strategic, regulated, and now mandated. CIOs who act early have the opportunity to lead and shape a more capable and more innovative Australian public sector.
