Cybersecurity

Chief AI Officers to lead AI adoption across Australian government

Australian public service agencies are formalising the appointment of Chief AI Officers (CAIOs) to guide the safe, strategic and coordinated use of AI across government.

Under the APS AI Plan, all non-corporate Commonwealth entities must appoint a senior leader as Chief AI Officer by 30 June 2026. Corporate Commonwealth entities and Commonwealth companies are strongly encouraged to make similar appointments.

The role is intended to help agencies adopt and use AI, particularly generative AI, as the technology reshapes government operations, public service delivery and internal processes.

Chief AI Officers will complement, rather than replace, AI Accountable Officials. While Accountable Officials focus on governance, compliance and risk management, CAIOs will lead strategic adoption, organisational transformation and AI capability building.

The government said CAIOs should provide strategic leadership rather than focus primarily on technical implementation. Their responsibilities include identifying high-value AI use cases, building staff capability, championing responsible adoption and ensuring AI is deployed safely and effectively.

CAIOs will work across technology, data, policy, cybersecurity, privacy and human resources functions, while collaborating with counterparts across the Australian Public Service and the Department of Finance’s AI Delivery and Enablement team.

Chief AI Officers will also collaborate across the Australian Public Service, including with other CAIOs and the AI Delivery and Enablement function in the Department of Finance.

The government said AI should be viewed as a general-purpose capability rather than a conventional technology upgrade, reflecting its potential to transform multiple areas of public-sector work.

The CAIO role is intended to help agencies move from experimentation to more systematic and responsible adoption. It is also designed to support a whole-of-organisation view of AI risks and opportunities.

The AI Delivery and Enablement team has developed an information pack to support agencies in appointing CAIOs, along with a blog for newly appointed leaders.

A wide range of agencies have already appointed Chief AI Officers. The published list includes major departments, regulators, integrity bodies, health and research agencies, cultural institutions, security agencies and service delivery organisations.

A wide range of organisations have already appointed CAIOs, including major government departments, regulators, law enforcement bodies, research organisations and service delivery agencies such as the Department of Finance, Home Affairs, Treasury, the Australian Federal Police, Services Australia and the Australian Electoral Commission.

The appointments of Chief AI Officers reflect a broader effort to coordinate AI adoption across government while maintaining attention to safety, privacy, cybersecurity, governance and public value.

Why does it matter?

Australia’s initiative reflects a broader shift from experimental AI projects to coordinated, organisation-wide adoption across the public sector. By establishing dedicated AI leadership roles, the government is seeking to embed strategic oversight while ensuring that innovation is balanced with governance, privacy, cybersecurity and public accountability.

The creation of Chief AI Officers also highlights the growing recognition that AI adoption is an organisational transformation challenge rather than solely a technical one. As governments integrate AI into public services, dedicated leadership is becoming increasingly important to coordinate implementation, build capability and ensure AI delivers public value responsibly.

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Malaysia adopts AI-centred digital strategy to 2030

Malaysia has launched the Malaysia Digital Action Plan 2030 (MD2030), a national roadmap that places the Ministry of Digital at the centre of efforts to achieve the country’s ambition of becoming an AI-driven nation by 2030.

Unveiled by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, the strategy aims to transform Malaysia from a consumer of technology into a producer of homegrown digital innovation through a coordinated, whole-of-government approach.

The five-year plan sets national priorities across economic growth, digital public services, infrastructure, talent development, cybersecurity and AI innovation. It is built around seven strategic pillars covering government, the economy, infrastructure, talent, society, trust and security, and innovation.

MD2030 also aligns existing national initiatives, including the Malaysia Digital Economy Blueprint and the National Fourth Industrial Revolution Policy, while supporting the country’s broader economic agenda.

Implementation will be coordinated by the Ministry of Digital in collaboration with agencies including the National AI Office, the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation, CyberSecurity Malaysia, GovTech Malaysia and MyDIGITAL Corporation.

The government said the strategy will prioritise responsible AI governance, digital trust, AI readiness, smart public services, digital inclusion and the development of domestic AI capabilities across government, business and society.

Why does it matter?

MD2030 positions AI as a core driver of Malaysia’s economic development, public-sector modernisation and long-term competitiveness. By combining AI governance, cybersecurity, digital infrastructure, skills development and innovation within a single national framework, the government is pursuing a coordinated approach to digital transformation rather than isolated technology initiatives.

The strategy also reflects intensifying regional competition to build sovereign AI capabilities. As Southeast Asian countries expand investment in AI infrastructure, talent and governance, Malaysia is seeking to strengthen its domestic innovation ecosystem while promoting trusted and responsible AI adoption across the economy.

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OECD maps AI and citizen participation

The OECD has published a report examining how AI could support citizen participation and democratic innovation while highlighting the safeguards needed for its responsible use.

The report, Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Citizen Participation, was approved and declassified by the OECD Public Governance Committee on 22 June 2026. It was produced as part of the OECD Public Governance Reviews series in collaboration with the Bertelsmann Stiftung.

The report says public participation can help governments design better policies and strengthen trust. It cites OECD trust findings showing that people who feel they have a say in government decisions are far more likely to report high trust in government.

The OECD notes that governments have long relied on digital technologies, including online platforms and civic tech tools, to expand public participation. AI represents the next stage of this evolution, with governments increasingly experimenting with tools for consultation, deliberation, communication and policy analysis.

The report is based on desk research and analysis of 50 AI use cases in participation processes from 22 OECD member and partner countries. It proposes a typology to help public officials and practitioners understand where AI tools may be useful and what challenges they may address.

Based on an analysis of 50 AI use cases from 22 OECD member and partner countries, the report proposes a typology covering nine categories of AI applications, including information development, sense-making, translation, transcription, virtual assistance, moderation, facilitation, simulation and participation architecture.

These tools can support both front-office activities, where citizens interact directly with government, and back-office activities, where public administrations design, analyse and manage processes internally.

According to the OECD, AI could make participation processes more accessible and efficient by helping governments analyse large volumes of public input, improve communication, reduce administrative costs and broaden participation.

Sense-making tools can help analyse large amounts of text submitted during consultations. Translation and transcription tools can make processes more accessible across languages and formats, while virtual assistants can help people navigate information about citizen participation opportunities.

AI can also support moderation and facilitation. The report says such tools may help prevent spam, hate speech or manipulation in online discussions, and could support live deliberation by identifying common ground or structuring debate.

However, the OECD cautions against treating AI as a simple fix for democratic challenges. It says technology alone cannot solve problems such as weak links between participation processes and actual policy decisions.

The report also highlights ethical, operational and societal risks, including algorithmic bias, opaque decision-making, hallucinations, cybersecurity threats, digital exclusion and declining public trust if AI systems are poorly designed or deployed.

The OECD also highlights the risks of inaction, noting that governments may miss valuable opportunities if they avoid AI tools even when they could be applied responsibly.

The report says governments should establish guardrails for AI use in citizen participation, including transparency, compliance with democratic values, protection of civic space, attention to data divides and low-tech alternatives for citizens with limited digital access.

It also calls for stronger enablers, including AI literacy, skills development, citizen engagement in the design and governance of AI systems, open standards where appropriate, and support for scaling successful pilots.

The OECD concludes that most public-sector use of AI in citizen participation remains experimental. It argues that lasting benefits will depend on transparent governance, human oversight and continued efforts to strengthen democratic participation beyond technology alone.

Why does it matter?

Governments are increasingly exploring AI as a way to make public participation more accessible, scalable and responsive. The OECD’s report shows that AI can support consultation, deliberation and policy analysis, but only when accompanied by safeguards that protect transparency, inclusion and democratic accountability.

The report also reinforces a broader shift in AI governance from technical capability to institutional design. By emphasising human oversight, civic participation, digital inclusion and democratic values, the OECD argues that AI should enhance, not replace, the processes that underpin public trust and democratic decision-making.

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Australia doubles penalties and expands eSafety powers under social media age law

The Australian Government has introduced legislation to strengthen enforcement of its minimum age law for social media platforms, expanding the powers of the eSafety Commissioner and significantly increasing penalties for non-compliance.

The reforms are intended to strengthen oversight of platforms operating in Australia that fail to prevent users under the age of 16 from accessing their services.

Under the proposed legislation, the eSafety Commissioner would receive enhanced information-gathering powers, including the authority to compel platforms and relevant third parties, such as age assurance providers and app stores, to provide documents and evidence demonstrating compliance.

The reforms would also substantially increase penalties for failing to comply with information requests and for systemic breaches of the legislation.

The government said millions of accounts belonging to users under 16 have already been removed, deactivated or restricted since the law entered into force.

However, the government argues that some major platforms continue to do only the minimum required, prompting the need for stronger enforcement powers and greater regulatory accountability.

Why does it matter?

The reforms mark a shift from establishing online child safety rules to enforcing them more aggressively. By expanding the eSafety Commissioner’s investigative powers and increasing penalties, Australia is signalling that platforms will face greater accountability if they fail to implement effective age assurance measures.

The legislation also reinforces Australia’s position as one of the most active jurisdictions in regulating children’s online safety. Its approach could influence other countries considering stronger enforcement mechanisms for age verification, platform responsibility and the protection of minors in digital environments.

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KIDZONET joins IWF to strengthen child online safety

KIDZONET has joined the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF), strengthening its efforts to protect children online through network-level safeguards.

The company provides child online safety services to telecommunications operators, internet service providers, governments and schools, helping them create safer digital environments without requiring users to install additional software or configure applications.

Through its membership, KIDZONET will integrate the IWF URL List and Non-Photographic Image (NPI) URL List, enabling its partners to identify and block confirmed webpages containing child sexual abuse material more quickly and accurately.

The collaboration reflects a broader move towards embedding child protection directly into internet infrastructure rather than relying solely on platform-level moderation.

By combining KIDZONET’s network-level protection with IWF’s specialist intelligence, the partnership aims to reduce access to criminal content, disrupt its distribution and strengthen protections for children across the digital ecosystem.

Why does it matter?

The partnership highlights a growing shift towards infrastructure-based approaches to online child protection. By integrating verified intelligence directly into telecommunications and internet networks, organisations can prevent access to child sexual abuse material before users encounter it, complementing platform-level moderation and law enforcement efforts.

It also demonstrates the importance of collaboration between specialist organisations and network providers. Combining trusted threat intelligence with network-level filtering can improve the speed and consistency of blocking illegal content while strengthening the broader digital ecosystem’s ability to combat online child sexual exploitation.

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Australian audit highlights governance gaps in public-sector AI

The Australian National Audit Office has found that IP Australia’s use of AI in the patent rights process is largely effective, while calling for stronger cybersecurity governance, monitoring and strategic oversight.

Auditor-General Report No. 43 of 2025–26 examined whether IP Australia has effective arrangements to support AI adoption in the patent rights process. IP Australia administers intellectual property rights, including patents, trade marks, design rights and plant breeders’ rights.

The agency deployed its first AI tool for patent examination in 2018 and now uses four AI tools in the process. The tools are designed to provide examiners with information to support better decisions, rather than to decide patent applications themselves.

The ANAO said IP Australia has been an early adopter of AI and has progressively improved its governance arrangements. The agency has introduced an AI governance policy, risk-scaled assessment mechanisms and clearer enterprise accountability roles.

However, the audit found that strategic oversight of AI implementation and related benefits is not yet fully established. It said IP Australia’s AI inventory, committee roles and use-case ownership remain works in progress.

Monitoring and reporting were assessed as only partly effective. The ANAO said benefits have been inconsistently defined and measured, making it harder to demonstrate the ongoing effectiveness of AI tools and manage emerging risks.

The ANAO made two recommendations, urging IP Australia to review cybersecurity governance controls for AI and establish clearer risk-based monitoring and reporting arrangements. IP Australia agreed to both recommendations.

The audit said public-sector agencies should regularly reassess AI governance frameworks as they move from experimentation to wider use.

Why does it matter?

The audit shows how AI is moving from experimentation into routine public-sector decision support. IP Australia’s experience points to the benefits of AI in improving efficiency and quality, but also shows that governance must evolve as tools become embedded in official processes. Cybersecurity, accountability, monitoring and measurable benefits are becoming central to responsible AI use in government.

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Singapore launches Online Safety Commission for online harms

Singapore’s Online Safety Commission has begun operations, giving victims of online harms a dedicated channel to seek faster support and redress.

The commission was established to support the office of the Commissioner of Online Safety under the Online Safety (Relief and Accountability) Act 2025. Specified provisions on statutory torts under the Act also came into effect on 29 June 2026.

In its first phase, the commission will support victims affected by five categories of online harm: online harassment, including online sexual harassment, doxxing, online stalking, intimate image abuse and image-based child abuse.

Victims of online harassment and online stalking are generally expected to report harmful content to the relevant platform first. If the platform fails to respond promptly or provides an inadequate response within 24 hours, the platform may be reported to the commission. More serious harms, including doxxing and image-based abuse, can be reported directly.

Where there is reason to suspect that online harm has occurred, the Commissioner may issue directions to the person who posted the content, the administrator of the online space or the platform hosting it. These directions may require access to harmful content to be disabled or an account to be restricted. Non-compliance is a criminal offence.

Singapore is also introducing court-based remedies through statutory torts. Victims may bring civil claims against communicators, administrators, or platforms that fail to meet the duties set out in the law. For intimate image abuse and image-based child abuse, courts must award at least $5,000 for each image or recording if the claim succeeds.

The commission will also work with community partners that can provide counselling and practical support to victims and families.

Why does it matter?

Singapore’s Online Safety Commission provides victims of online harms with a dedicated institutional route for faster relief, rather than leaving them to rely solely on platform complaint systems or lengthy court processes. The model combines administrative directions, platform duties, community support and civil remedies. It is especially relevant for image-based abuse, doxxing and child safety, where rapid content restriction and victim support can be critical.

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Europol highlights technology-driven organised crime threats

The European Commission, Europol and the Cypriot Presidency of the Council of the EU have presented a new assessment of Europe’s most threatening organised criminal networks, warning that they are becoming increasingly adaptive, technologically advanced and deeply embedded across the region.

The report finds that organised crime is expanding across multiple sectors, including drug trafficking, cybercrime, migrant smuggling, human trafficking, fraud and money laundering.

Criminal organisations are increasingly exploiting digital technologies, global trade routes and legitimate business structures while operating through flexible cross-border networks instead of traditional hierarchical organisations.

The European Commission said stronger cross-border cooperation and an updated Europol mandate are needed to respond to increasingly digital, cross-border and technologically sophisticated forms of organised crime.

Why does it matter?

The assessment highlights how organised crime is evolving alongside digital transformation. Criminal networks are increasingly using digital technologies, legitimate businesses and international supply chains to expand their operations, making traditional law enforcement approaches less effective against increasingly decentralised and cross-border threats.

The report also reinforces the need for stronger European cooperation. As cybercrime, fraud and money laundering become more interconnected with other forms of organised crime, improved intelligence sharing, operational coordination and investigative capabilities will be essential to disrupting criminal networks operating across multiple jurisdictions.

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OpenAI previews GPT-5.6 Sol model with stronger safeguards

OpenAI has begun a limited preview of GPT-5.6 Sol, a new flagship model in its new GPT-5.6 family, which also includes Terra and Luna. The company said all three models are expected to become generally available in the coming weeks.

The company said the preview is initially limited to a small group of trusted partners. OpenAI said it shared its release plans and model capabilities with the US government before launch and is initially limiting access at the government’s request.

The company said it does not consider government pre-release access an appropriate long-term default. Instead, it described the limited preview as a temporary measure while working with the US administration on a repeatable release framework linked to a cybersecurity Executive Order.

OpenAI described GPT-5.6 Sol as its most capable model to date, highlighting improvements in agentic coding, biology and cybersecurity while saying a broader set of evaluation results will be published when the model becomes generally available.

For coding, OpenAI said GPT-5.6 Sol set a new state of the art on Terminal-Bench 2.1, which tests command-line workflows involving planning, iteration and tool coordination.

The company also reported improvements in biology workflows. On GeneBench v1, which evaluates long-horizon genomics and quantitative biology tasks, OpenAI said the model performed better than GPT-5.5 while using fewer tokens.

Cybersecurity is a major focus of the preview. OpenAI said GPT-5.6 Sol is its most capable model yet for cybersecurity tasks, including vulnerability research and exploitation-related workflows.

OpenAI said the model performs better at identifying and helping remediate vulnerabilities than at carrying out end-to-end offensive cyber operations. According to the company, GPT-5.6 Sol did not exceed the Cyber Critical threshold under its Preparedness Framework.

OpenAI said the GPT-5.6 release includes its most robust safeguards to date, with configurations tailored to each model’s capabilities. The company said these safeguards are intended to constrain prohibited offensive use while preserving access for legitimate work such as code review, vulnerability research, patch development, debugging, security education and defensive testing.

Safeguards include model-level protections, real-time generation checks, account-level monitoring, differentiated access controls, enforcement mechanisms and ongoing testing. OpenAI said some higher-risk requests may be delayed or blocked during the preview period.

The company said it devoted more than 700,000 A100-equivalent GPU hours to automated red-teaming, complemented by third-party expert testing, to evaluate the model’s resilience against jailbreak attempts.

During the preview, GPT-5.6 models will initially be available through the API and Codex to selected trusted partners and organisations. OpenAI said broader access for ChatGPT, Codex and API users is planned soon.

During the preview, GPT-5.6 models will be available through the API and Codex to selected partners. OpenAI said broader access across ChatGPT, Codex and the API is planned soon. It also announced pricing for the model family and said GPT-5.6 Sol will launch on Cerebras in July, initially for a limited group of customers.

Why does it matter?

GPT-5.6 Sol illustrates how frontier AI releases are becoming increasingly governed by phased deployment, targeted access and extensive safety testing rather than immediate public availability. OpenAI’s emphasis on cybersecurity evaluations, automated red-teaming and layered safeguards reflects growing efforts to manage the risks associated with increasingly capable foundation models.

The rollout also highlights the evolving relationship between AI companies and governments. By combining limited pre-release access, enterprise deployment and structured safety frameworks, OpenAI is helping shape emerging norms for how advanced AI systems are evaluated, governed and introduced into real-world use.

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IWF urges EU to restore legal basis for voluntary CSAM detection

The Internet Watch Foundation has urged the EU policymakers to adopt a permanent legal framework allowing technology companies to voluntarily detect, report and remove child sexual abuse material online.

The organisation said Europe cannot keep relying on children to protect themselves from online predators, warning that awareness campaigns and digital literacy measures cannot replace platform responsibility, technical safeguards and proactive detection tools.

The IWF said the EU’s failure to agree on a long-term Child Sexual Abuse Regulation has created legal uncertainty after the expiry of the temporary framework that previously allowed online services to use voluntary detection measures.

According to the organisation, child sexual abuse increasingly begins online through grooming, coercion, sextortion and blackmail. The IWF said that more than a quarter of the 500,000 unique child sexual abuse images and videos it identified in 2025 were self-generated after children were manipulated into creating explicit material.

The group argues that voluntary detection should become a minimum standard across the EU, supported by legal safeguards that protect privacy and prevent misuse.

The debate remains one of the EU’s most contested digital policy issues. Child-safety organisations warn that legal uncertainty could reduce the detection of abuse, while privacy advocates have raised concerns about surveillance, false positives and the scanning of private communications.

The IWF said policymakers should not treat child protection and privacy as a binary choice, but should create a framework that allows technology companies to detect abuse while maintaining appropriate safeguards.

Why does it matter?

The debate goes to the heart of EU online safety policy: how to protect children from grooming, sextortion and the circulation of abuse material while preserving privacy and communications rights. The IWF’s intervention highlights the child-protection argument for legal certainty around voluntary detection tools. At the same time, the controversy shows why any permanent framework will need strong safeguards, transparency and limits on how detection technologies are used.

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