Australia joins OECD working group on agentic AI in government

Australia has joined the new OECD Working Group on Agentic AI in Government, with the Digital Transformation Agency (DTA) set to share the Australian Government's practical experience in governing and deploying agentic AI systems across the public sector.

The working group was established under the OECD Working Party of Senior Digital Government Officials - known as E-Leaders - and brings together digital government leaders from Australia, Canada, Estonia, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Israel and the United Kingdom.

Members will share experience and lessons learned as they explore how agentic AI can be safely used and governed in public sector settings. Unlike traditional AI tools that primarily analyse information or generate content, agentic AI systems can plan, reason and act with greater autonomy to achieve defined outcomes.

The DTA said the technology could support more responsive government services, help address complex operational needs and reduce administrative burden - but also raises questions about oversight, accountability and control as system autonomy increases.

Australia's participation builds on work the DTA released in May 2026: an Agentic AI addendum to the Technical Standard for Government's Use of AI. The addendum provides guidance for agencies designing, deploying and operating agentic AI systems, with a focus on retaining human oversight as systems take on more complex tasks.

"Agentic AI presents governments with new possibilities, but it also raises the bar for how we govern AI," said Chris Fechner, chief executive officer at the DTA.

"As systems take on greater autonomy, we need to be clear about the boundaries within which they operate and where responsibility ultimately sits."

Fechner said no single country had all the answers.

"Through the OECD working group, we can draw on different perspectives and help shape a common understanding of how these technologies can be adopted responsibly across government," he said.

Over the coming months, the working group will compare international experiences and work toward practical guidance on the foundations and guardrails needed for trustworthy use of agentic AI in government.