Case studies

Trialling a purpose-built AI tool for educational use in schools

The NSW Department of Education has developed NSWEduChat, a purpose-built generative AI tool for educational use in schools. NSWEduChat is currently the safest and most cost-effective generative AI tool available for our schools and staff. NSWEduChat is based in our own cloud environment in Sydney, Australia, data is secure, caters to the NSW educational context and aligns to the NSW AI Assessment Framework.

Key features of NSWEduChat include advanced safeguards, such as content filtering, topic restriction, and moderation, to ensure a safe learning environment. The tool encourages critical thinking by guiding students to reason through questions rather than providing direct answers, fostering a deeper understanding of educational material. 

Supported by Professional Learning resources and technical assistance, the trial will be closely monitored to inform the future direction of AI integration in NSW public schools. This initiative reflects a commitment to transparency, continuous improvement, and the ethical use of AI.

Streamlining policy access for school staff with AI

The NSWEduChat Policy Finder is an AI-driven tool designed to expedite the process of locating information within policy and procedure documents for school staff. This innovative tool leverages AI technology to answer queries by extracting relevant content from the documents and directing users to the original sources. The Policy Finder aims to enhance efficiency and support informed decision-making among school staff by significantly reducing the time and effort required to find specific policy details.

The project is set to begin a trial phase, during which its effectiveness and user experience will be closely monitored. Based on the trial results, decisions will be made regarding the expansion of the trial to include a larger number of participants. This initiative reflects the NSW Department of Education's commitment in leveraging advanced technology to improve administrative processes and support the smooth operation of educational institutions. The ultimate goal is to streamline access to crucial information, thereby empowering school staff to perform their roles more effectively and efficiently.

Land iQ is designed to improve the planning system by helping NSW government agencies make faster, smarter decisions about the use of land

It’s a living platform designed to continue to evolve and adapt to the future needs of users, leveraging new digital resources as they become available. It’s available to NSW Government agencies while we continue to refine the tool and develop license options to make it available to other levels of government, councils, Local Aboriginal Land Councils, researchers and industry.

• Data library – A comprehensive spatial and government data library including typology assumptions sourced from relevant delivery entities (e.g. School Infrastructure, Health Infrastructure, Landcom).
• Site search – Advanced multiple-criteria site searching including ownership, size, planning controls, and proximity to services, infrastructure, amenities, constraints and more.
• Geocentric analysis – A comprehensive analysis of a particular location against benchmarks and other geographies.
• Scenario planning – Land use scenario analysis to understand impact of change in use across social, economic, environmental and financial metrics.

Testing innovative technology to improve public safety in crowded places

Funded by the Digital Restart Fund (DRF), the Creating Safer Crowded Places project is an example of the NSW Government’s commitment to using innovative technology to drive real impact in the community. This innovative platform draws data from the CCTV network, social media, and environmental systems to generate insights on crowd behaviour and mood while ensuring visitor anonymity.

Using AI to revolutionise road maintenance and operations

Asset AI® is helping the NSW Government and local councils make roads safer by using near-real-time data to streamline road maintenance tasks.

Sensors and cameras are fixed to council vehicles to collect information about the roads. This data is then analysed using artificial intelligence. The insights will help find and fix problems on the roads faster, making them safer for drivers and pedestrians.

Building strong digital foundations

The State Digital Assets (SDA) Reuse Policy promotes and governs the reuse of SDAs across all NSW Government portfolios and agencies. SDAs are digital solutions used by more than one NSW Government agency and encompass applications, technology infrastructure and data. They are the building blocks of efficient, proactive, customised and seamless government services.

The Process and Technology Harmonisation Program

Consolidating multiple finance and technology systems to simplify our corporate and shared service system and support through the Process and Technology Harmonisation (PaTH) program.

An industry-informed plan to deliver a resilient pipeline of digitally skilled and capable people

The NSW Digital Skills and Workforce Compact is a 7-year, cross-sector collaboration between the NSW Government, the digital industry, and the education and training sector. It aims to address the projected 2030 digital workforce shortfall of 85,000 by implementing innovative and industry-informed strategies. The compact includes actions such as changing perceptions of digital careers, improving retention in digital tertiary education and driving diversity in the digital workforce. Actions also include expanding digital traineeships, scaling digital reskilling programs, and making training more responsive to industry needs. By working together, the partners seek to ensure that people across NSW can access opportunities to develop digital skills, pursue fulfilling careers, and increase community participation in the digital economy.