Artificial intelligence is no longer just a speculative frontier — it’s rapidly becoming embedded in the fabric of everyday governance and public service delivery. From automated decision-making tools to generative chatbots reshaping how agencies communicate with citizens, AI’s reach is expanding faster than many policymakers can keep up with. As governments across Australia grapple with questions of regulation, ethics, and workforce impact, the real challenge lies not in resisting the tide, but in steering it. I didn’t write this — this was ChatGPT, given the simple prompt: “Write an opening paragraph for an article about the prevalence of AI in the voice of Dan Holmes, a journalist for the Australian online publication The Mandarin” (sorry, Dan).