Client

Victorian local government council

 

Capability focus

AI governance, compliance, policy awareness and responsible use of Microsoft Copilot

 

The opportunity

As artificial intelligence became increasingly accessible across the workplace, a Victorian local government council recognised the need to establish clear expectations for how AI tools should be used by its people.

The council was preparing employees to use Microsoft Copilot more effectively, while ensuring its adoption remained aligned with organisational policies, privacy obligations, information security requirements and broader governance responsibilities.

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The challenge was not simply introducing a new technology. It was helping employees understand how to use AI safely, appropriately and confidently within a complex local government environment.

 

People Tank partnered with the council to deliver a practical capability uplift that connected AI governance and risk requirements with the everyday decisions employees make when using Copilot.

 

Our Approach

People Tank designed and facilitated targeted learning focused on the responsible use of AI within the council’s operating context.

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The learning translated policy, compliance and governance requirements into clear, practical guidance that employees could apply in their day to day work. Rather than treating governance as a separate compliance exercise, the sessions positioned it as an essential part of effective AI use.

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Participants explored:

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• The council’s expectations for the appropriate use of AI tools

• Privacy, confidentiality and information security considerations

• The importance of protecting personal, sensitive and council information

• Human accountability for reviewing and validating AI generated content

• The risks associated with bias, inaccuracy and incomplete information

• Appropriate judgement when entering information into Microsoft Copilot

• The importance of transparency, critical thinking and responsible decision making

• Practical ways to use Copilot while remaining aligned with council policies and governance requirements.

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Scenario based activities allowed participants to consider realistic workplace situations, identify potential risks and determine the most appropriate response. This helped move the conversation beyond awareness and into practical application.

 

Making governance practical

A key focus of the program was making AI governance relevant to employees at every level.

Participants were encouraged to consider not only what Copilot could help them achieve, but also whether the information being used was appropriate, whether the output could be trusted and what level of human review was required.

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The facilitation created space for questions, discussion and shared learning. This was particularly important in addressing uncertainty, correcting assumptions and helping employees understand that responsible AI use is a shared organisational responsibility.

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By connecting policy requirements with real workplace examples, People Tank helped make complex governance and risk concepts easier to understand and apply.

 

The impact

The capability uplift established a stronger foundation for the safe and effective adoption of Microsoft Copilot across the council.

 

Employees developed greater awareness of their responsibilities when using AI and a clearer understanding of the risks that need to be considered before information is entered, generated content is accepted or outputs are used to inform council work.

 

The program supported the council to:

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• Strengthen employee awareness of AI governance and risk

• Reinforce existing policy, privacy and information security obligations

• Establish clearer expectations for responsible Copilot use

• Build confidence in identifying and responding to common AI risks

• Promote critical evaluation of AI generated outputs

• Maintain human judgement and accountability in AI supported work

• Support more consistent and responsible AI practices across the organisation

 

Supporting responsible AI adoption in local government

Local government organisations manage complex services, sensitive information and decisions that directly affect their communities. The introduction of AI creates valuable opportunities to improve productivity and support employees, but it must be accompanied by clear governance, practical guidance and ongoing capability development.

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This partnership demonstrates People Tank’s ability to facilitate AI governance and risk learning within a Victorian local government setting. Our approach brings together responsible AI principles, policy awareness and practical workplace application, helping organisations move from uncertainty to informed and confident use.

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People Tank continues to support councils and other organisations to build the human capability required for responsible AI adoption, ensuring technology is introduced in a way that is safe, practical and aligned with organisational values.

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Build responsible AI capability across your organisation

If your organisation is introducing Microsoft Copilot or reviewing how AI is currently being used, People Tank can help strengthen the policies, behaviours and practical capability needed for responsible adoption.

 

We work with leaders, teams and employees to make AI governance clear, relevant and applicable to their everyday work.