Department of Home Affairs

AI Transparency Statement
February 2025
OFFICIAL Page 1 of 3 AI Transparency Statement

Table of Contents Introduction ..................................................................................................................................................... 2 What is Artificial Intelligence? ................................................................................................................. 2 Accountable Officials .............................................................................................................................. 2 Domains of AI Usage.............................................................................................................................. 2 AI Governance ........................................................................................................................................ 3 OFFICIAL Page 2 of 3 AI Transparency Statement
Introduction
The Digital Transformation Agency (DTA) Policy for the responsible use of AI in government (the policy) mandates all departments and agencies to designate accountable officials for the policy implementation, and to publish a statement outlining their approach to AI adoption and use (‘transparency statement’) .
The Department of Home Affairs (the department) is responsible for providing services, policy, and regulation across a range of domains including immigration and border protection, citizenship, cyber and national security. In delivering its role effectively and efficiently, the department incorporates the safe and responsible use of data and enabling technologies including various forms of Artificial Intelligence (AI).
What is Artificial Intelligence? Following the DTA, the department adopts the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) definition of an AI system:
‘An AI system is a machine-based system that, for explicit or implicit objectives, infers, from the input it receives, how to generate outputs such as predictions, content, recommendations, or decisions that can influence physical or virtual environments. Different AI systems vary in their levels of autonomy and adaptiveness after deployment.’
Accountable Officials
The Chief Data Officer (CDO) is the Accountable Official for AI under the policy and responsible for leading the department's data and AI program. This includes improving AI literacy, policy monitoring and improvement, robust and ethical AI design and management, and implementation of governance and assurance mechanisms for AI adoption in the secure and safe technology environments provided by Information Communication Technology (ICT). Domains of AI Usage The department embraces opportunities presented by emerging technologies by developing and adopting AI systems in support of decision-making, risk mitigation and management, and administrative actions in a safe and responsible manner. The department uses AI to boost productivity by optimising processes across various domains:
 Service Delivery: with a range of systems to improve efficiency of department’s service to clients such as automated registration of submissions and applications; or image processing systems to facilitate passenger movements.
 Law Enforcement, Intelligence and Security: the trained AI systems use advanced analytics for insights to inform a data-driven approach to risk identification, intelligence gathering and crime prevention.  Corporate and Enabling: the explorative use of AI systems to support administrative tasks and research leading to faster generation of products for internal use such as feedback analysis of large surveys to derive key learnings that enable organisational growth and transformation.  Compliance and Fraud Detection: AI systems are used to identify and share information with partners to supplement compliance activities, keeping the Australian community safe and ensuring the integrity of Australia's migration program. The department uses both internal and third party AI systems, with ongoing human monitoring and decision making to ensure AI use is safe, legal and ethical. OFFICIAL Page 3 of 3 AI Transparency Statement
AI Governance The department is committed to transparency and accountability in using AI, ensuring responsible implementation as the technology evolves. To ensure safety, security and ethical use of its AI systems, the department has implemented a number of controls for governing, monitoring and managing AI-related risks by:  aligning Home Affairs’ AI Ethics Policy with Australia’s AI Ethics Principles, and making the policy compliant with both international and Australian human rights legislation, such as Racial Discrimination Act 1975, Australian Human Right Commission Act 1986 and International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights  implementing processes and procedure, to enable continuous and transparent improvement of AI systems  embedding human monitoring, verification, and intervention on all AI system-generated outputs  monitoring and mitigating AI distinct and specific risks and potential harms to privacy, fairness, transparency and explainability as well as safety and security of its technology environments  delivering a comprehensive data and AI literacy program to its workforce.

AI Transparency Statement
February 2025 OFFICIAL Page 1 of 3 AI Transparency Statement

Table of Contents Introduction ..................................................................................................................................................... 2 What is Artificial Intelligence? ................................................................................................................. 2 Accountable Officials .............................................................................................................................. 2 Domains of AI Usage.............................................................................................................................. 2 AI Governance ........................................................................................................................................ 3 OFFICIAL Page 2 of 3 AI Transparency Statement
Introduction
The Digital Transformation Agency (DTA) Policy for the responsible use of AI in government (the policy) mandates all departments and agencies to designate accountable officials for the policy implementation, and to publish a statement outlining their approach to AI adoption and use (‘transparency statement’) .
The Department of Home Affairs (the department) is responsible for providing services, policy, and regulation across a range of domains including immigration and border protection, citizenship, cyber and national security. In delivering its role effectively and efficiently, the department incorporates the safe and responsible use of data and enabling technologies including various forms of Artificial Intelligence (AI).
What is Artificial Intelligence? Following the DTA, the department adopts the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) definition of an AI system:
‘An AI system is a machine-based system that, for explicit or implicit objectives, infers, from the input it receives, how to generate outputs such as predictions, content, recommendations, or decisions that can influence physical or virtual environments. Different AI systems vary in their levels of autonomy and adaptiveness after deployment.’
Accountable Officials
The Chief Data Officer (CDO) is the Accountable Official for AI under the policy and responsible for leading the department's data and AI program. This includes improving AI literacy, policy monitoring and improvement, robust and ethical AI design and management, and implementation of governance and assurance mechanisms for AI adoption in the secure and safe technology environments provided by Information Communication Technology (ICT). Domains of AI Usage The department embraces opportunities presented by emerging technologies by developing and adopting AI systems in support of decision-making, risk mitigation and management, and administrative actions in a safe and responsible manner. The department uses AI to boost productivity by optimising processes across various domains:
 Service Delivery: with a range of systems to improve efficiency of department’s service to clients such as automated registration of submissions and applications; or image processing systems to facilitate passenger movements.
 Law Enforcement, Intelligence and Security: the trained AI systems use advanced analytics for insights to inform a data-driven approach to risk identification, intelligence gathering and crime prevention.  Corporate and Enabling: the explorative use of AI systems to support administrative tasks and research leading to faster generation of products for internal use such as feedback analysis of large surveys to derive key learnings that enable organisational growth and transformation.  Compliance and Fraud Detection: AI systems are used to identify and share information with partners to supplement compliance activities, keeping the Australian community safe and ensuring the integrity of Australia's migration program. The department uses both internal and third party AI systems, with ongoing human monitoring and decision making to ensure AI use is safe, legal and ethical. OFFICIAL Page 3 of 3 AI Transparency Statement
AI Governance The department is committed to transparency and accountability in using AI, ensuring responsible implementation as the technology evolves. To ensure safety, security and ethical use of its AI systems, the department has implemented a number of controls for governing, monitoring and managing AI-related risks by:  aligning Home Affairs’ AI Ethics Policy with Australia’s AI Ethics Principles, and making the policy compliant with both international and Australian human rights legislation, such as Racial Discrimination Act 1975, Australian Human Right Commission Act 1986 and International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights  implementing processes and procedure, to enable continuous and transparent improvement of AI systems  embedding human monitoring, verification, and intervention on all AI system-generated outputs  monitoring and mitigating AI distinct and specific risks and potential harms to privacy, fairness, transparency and explainability as well as safety and security of its technology environments  delivering a comprehensive data and AI literacy program to its workforce.

Published

AI Transparency Statement

Page Content

​The Digital Transformation Agency (DTA) Policy for the responsible use of AI in government (the policy) requires all departments and agencies to appoint accountable officials to oversee policy implementation. It also requires them to publish a statement explaining their approach to AI adoption and use, known as a ‘transparency statement’.

The Department of Home Affairs, including ABF (the department), published its first Artificial Intelligence (AI) transparency statement in February 2025. The department updated this statement in March 2026.

The updated statement below explains how the department uses AI safely and responsibly, in line with whole-of-government policy and oversight from our Accountable Official. It also outlines how we use AI to support our functions, manage risks, and strengthen governance, transparency and accountability as AI continues to evolve.​

Accountable Officials

The Chief Data Officer (CDO) is the Accountable Official for AI under the policy and is responsible for leading the department's data and AI program. This includes:

• improving AI literacy
• monitoring and improving AI policies
• ensuring robust and ethical AI design and management
• overseeing governance and assurance mechanisms for AI adoption in the secure and safe technology environments provided by Information Communication Technology (ICT).

The CDO also performs the role of the Chief AI Officer as required under the AI Plan for the Australian Public Service 2025.

Under this role, the CDO:

• drives AI adoption
• advocates for strategic change within the department
• oversees experimentation and innovation
• gives guidance and use cases, shares advice and supports internal engagement.

AI usage in the department

The department continues to invest in emerging technologies, including AI, to support decision‑making, risk management and administrative activities in a safe and responsible way. Importantly, no AI system makes administrative decisions or takes actions that affect individuals without human review.

Currently, the department’s only public-facing AI-based interaction is through SmartGate. SmartGate uses AI-driven image processing technology to help eligible passengers move through airports more quickly. This improves efficiency and convenience for travellers while supporting the department’s operational objectives.

The department uses AI across the following domains:

• Service delivery: AI systems use image processing technology and automated registration of submissions, applications and email triage to speed up service delivery to clients.
• Compliance and fraud detection: AI-derived analytics for insights help identify persons and consignments of interest.
• Law enforcement, intelligence and security: predictive models use data to spot potentially suspicious cargo and identify security concerns that could help prevent crime.
• Policy and legal: AI analytical tools support research, information synthesis and evidence gathering to inform policy development and legal analysis.
• Corporate and enabling: approved generative AI tools, including Microsoft 365 Copilot, support workplace productivity and do not make administrative decisions about individuals.

AI governance

The department uses internal and third-party AI systems in a safe and responsible manner to improve operations and maintain community trust. We are developing an AI Strategy and Data and AI Governance Framework to clearly guide how we use and manage AI systems. Our approach aligns with whole-of-government strategic directions, including the APS AI Plan and the National AI Plan.

• Ethical and rights-respecting use: Our ethical approach to AI use aligns with Australia’s AI Ethics Principles. This ensures we are consistent with relevant human rights and anti-discrimination obligations. These obligations include the Racial Discrimination Act 1975 , Australian Human Right Commission Act 1986 and International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights as well as relevant international human rights commitments.
• Visibility, safeguards and continuous improvement: The department keeps a registry of all AI technologies currently in operation to ensure strong oversight. We update this registry regularly to record each system’s associated risks and the controls used at each stage of the AI lifecycle. Tracking this information helps us to maintain robust governance with safeguards that match each system’s level of risk.
• Scalable AI**:** By leveraging scalable AI systems alongside human oversight, we allow staff to dedicate their attention to complex and mission-critical tasks. This approach ensures that all decisions and outcomes produced by automation and AI remain subject to human verification at every stage.
• Ongoing assurance, monitoring and secure environments: We monitor and manage AI-specific risks and potential harm including privacy, fairness, transparency and explainability, safety and security. Assurance mechanisms and operation in secure technology environments support this work.
• Workforce capability: We commit to improve AI and data skills across the department through comprehensive training. All staff must complete the mandatory AI in Government Fundamentals training to ensure we use AI tools responsibly and securely.

More information

If you would like further information, please email ourdata@homeaffairs.gov.au