Why read this
Read this when the team has many AI ideas and needs to choose the use cases most likely to produce measurable value without creating unmanaged risk.
Choose use cases with local consequence
The best early use cases usually have a clear input, reviewable output, measurable baseline, and a business owner who can correct the process. In Australia, common starting points include service triage, knowledge retrieval, maintenance assistance, document review, fraud investigation support, and workforce help desks.
Evidence: Australian Government AI in Government Policy, Australian Government essential AI practices
Match the use case to sector evidence
A use case that is low risk in an internal knowledge workflow can become high consequence in health, public services, financial services, or field operations. Compare the same AI capability against the sector owner, data sensitivity, customer impact, safety duty, escalation path, and evidence needed before relying on it.
Evidence: OAIC artificial intelligence and privacy guidance, Australian Cyber Security Centre guidance
Keep a stop rule
Every pilot should define what stops expansion: poor output quality, excessive correction work, privacy uncertainty, security issues, user rejection, cost growth, or weak evidence. A clear stop rule makes an AI use-case portfolio easier to govern and easier to fund.
Questions for the buying team
- Which use case has a measurable baseline and a business owner ready to act?
- What sector risk changes the controls, evidence, or review process?
- What result would stop, change, or expand the AI use case?
Local evidence boundary: this guide organises questions and sources. It is not a legal, security, clinical, financial, procurement, or implementation approval.
Sources and further reading
- Australian Government AI in Government Policy standards guidance
- Australian Government essential AI practices standards guidance
- OAIC artificial intelligence and privacy guidance standards guidance
- Australian Cyber Security Centre guidance standards guidance