Artificial intelligence (AI) can help accelerate planning processes by harnessing the power of big data, improving productivity and reducing the administrative burden on planners.
The NSW Government is investing $5.6 million to explore how existing and mature AI and other digital solutions can be used by councils to enhance the local development application process, particularly in the pre-lodgement phase.
The AI in NSW Planning project is focused on delivering 2 key outcomes:
1. Enabling councils to assess development applications more efficiently by improving the quality of submitted applications.
2. Identifying a selection of suitable and ready-to-deploy AI and digital products that councils can start using right away.
AI Solutions Panel
The AI Solutions Panel was established in April 2024 following a competitive open tender process.
The AI Solutions Panel is a centralised resource of mature and suitable AI products that councils can procure and integrate into their development assessment workflows.
Solutions were evaluated against essential criteria including, but not limited to, how well they meet the identified use cases and compliance with all relevant NSW Government AI policies such as the NSW AI Assurance Framework and AI Ethics Policy.
All NSW councils can initiate procurement for product solutions through the AI Solutions Panel.
For further information and guidance on how to use the AI Solutions Panel.
Councils are invited to attend a virtual showcase of the successful products available on the AI Solutions Panel. The showcase will be held on Friday, 3 May 2024, 10:30am-12:00pm, and will include an introduction to the panel, supplier presentations and Q&A.
The list of successful suppliers, the selected product solutions and a brief summary of the product offering.
Councils may request detailed supplier information, including pricing and product details, by contacting the AI in NSW Planning project team at [email protected].
Early Adopter Grant Program now open
The NSW Government is providing up to $3 million to support councils implement AI solutions from the AI Solutions Panel through the Early Adopter Grant Program.
The Early Adopter Grant Program is open to all eligible councils that can demonstrate their readiness to implement and leverage AI solutions to improve their pre-lodgement or overall development application efforts.
Applications are now open. Councils are invited to review the Grant Program guideline and submit a grant application by 22 May 2024.
Grant guideline and supporting information
The guideline provides further details about eligibility and the assessment process.
A webinar outlining the Grant Program is now available. Council procurement and/or legal teams are also invited to attend a contracting framework training to learn how to procure from the AI Solutions Panel using an ICT Agreement.
- Council grant briefing recording
- Council staff may register their interest to attend the contracting framework training (7 May) and/or the product showcase (3 May).
- AI Solutions Panel Council operating guideline (PDF, 4.2 MB)
- AI Solutions Panel supplier list (PDF, 1.76 MB)
For any questions or clarifications, contact the AI in NSW Planning team at [email protected].
Key dates
Dates may be subject to change.
| Date | Activity |
|---|---|
| 30 April 2024 | AI Solutions Panel established |
| 30 April 2024 | Early Adopter Grant Program applications open |
| 3 May 2024 | AI Solutions Panel Product Showcase for NSW councils |
| 7 May 2024 | Contracting framework training session for NSW councils |
| 22 May 2024 | Grant Program applications close |
| June 2024 | Grant funding distributed |
Frequently asked questions
Artificial intelligence refers to the simulation of human intelligence in machines, enabling them to perform tasks that typically require human thinking. This can include problem-solving, learning and decision-making.
Most AI tools use ‘machine learning’. Instead of telling a machine what to do, AI tools work by giving them lots of examples of the right and wrong way to do a task – and the machine learns for itself. For example, if you give an AI tool lots of data that shows a driverless car being driven correctly – it eventually learns to do the same itself.
The department is exploring how AI can help NSW councils create workflow efficiencies at the pre-lodgement phase of the local development application process, that is, the aspects related to preparing an application.
The project has confirmed a panel of suitable existing and mature AI solutions that councils can readily integrate into their pre-lodgement workflows. The successful solutions are now available on an approved supplier list for councils to procure and implement.
As much as possible, the department is focusing on existing and mature AI product solutions. Selected solutions have met proof-of-value and proof-of-concept requirements.
In collaboration with councils, we have identified 4 key priority areas, or ‘use cases’, for the application of AI.
We encouraged suppliers to demonstrate how their solution addresses these priority areas. The identified focus areas allow for solutions workflows such as complying development certificates to be considered as part of this process.
The 4 key priority areas are:
1. Pathways and requirements finder
How might councils help prospective applicants identify site specific development requirements (for complying development and/or development applications), so that they can expedite their development process?
2. Material self-assessment health check
How might councils help applicants conduct a self-assessment before lodgement of their development application, so that that they can address any potential barriers or gaps in their documentation?
3. Risk-based triage
How might council staff quickly identify non-compliant elements within a submission (for development applications and/or complying development), so that the triage process is efficient and improves council’s productivity?
4. Material assurance
How might council staff verify an applicant's supplied documentation, so that they can have confidence about the quality and provenance of the material submitted?
The department co-designed the four priority areas alongside councils, through several collaboration sessions. This approach has ensured that the AI product solutions demonstrate a required improvement in council pre-lodgement workflows, and the ability to be integrated into existing council systems.
Data privacy and security will be prioritised, with robust measures in place to ensure the safe handling and protection of all information. All products will be evaluated against existing legal frameworks, the NSW Government AI Assurance Framework and the NSW AI Ethics Policy.
Grant applications are now open and close on 22 May 2024. Successful grant recipients will be confirmed by June 2024 with grant funding to be awarded by 30 June 2024.
An application received after the closing date and time, 11pm on 22 May 2024, will only be considered by the department provided that:
(a) it is clear that the cause of the delay was beyond the applicant’s control
(b) we are satisfied that the competitiveness and integrity of the program will not be compromised.
Please refer to the grant guideline for more information.
A department committee will select recipients based on a competitive process, in which councils must address all eligibility and evaluation criteria as outlined in the grant guideline.
There is currently only one round of funding available.
The department will hold several engagement sessions targeted at council planning and procurement teams to support the engagement and management of an AI Solutions Panel supplier as part of a successful grant project.
Supporting material for all councils, including a Panel Operating Guideline, is also available. This includes technical guidance for councils as they develop their AI projects.
As part of the grant application process, councils will need to demonstrate their readiness to procure and implement an AI product solution from the AI Solutions Panel.
Grant recipients must supply a project plan to be included in the grant funding agreement. Grant recipients will be responsible for meeting project milestones and delivering the project within the timeframes and terms of the agreement.
Grant recipients will be required to give regular project milestone reports and a final acquittal report at the completion of the Grant Project, and to participate in ongoing program evaluation and benefits appraisal.
The department may pursue a structured benefits realisation path post 30 June 2024, dependent on continued funding decisions.
The department will adhere to the NSW Government AI Assurance Framework and NSW AI Ethics Policy, which set out 5 overarching principles: trust, transparency, customer benefit, fairness, privacy and accountability.
A key ethical pillar of any use of AI in planning will be transparency. This will guide how the department and councils engage with external providers of AI technologies. Intellectual property rights around models and algorithms will need to be considered in any engagements with service providers. The department and councils must be able to provide their customers with meaningful information about how decisions are made and how data is used.