The Digital Transformation Agency (DTA) has recently released the Australian Government’s Technical Standard for Artificial Intelligence, a pivotal framework designed to guide the responsible development and deployment of AI systems across the public sector. This standard outlines technical requirements for AI throughout its lifecycle—from discovery and design to operation and retirement—ensuring transparency, accountability, and safety in government services. Rather than introducing all new processes or duplication, the standard emphasises the reuse of existing agency policies, frameworks, and practices to support implementation.

AI is increasingly embedded in operations and products across all sectors, making it essential to have appropriately qualified professionals involved in the implementation and assurance of these systems and integration safely into the organisation’s ecosystem. The complexity of AI technologies, coupled with their potential to impact citizens’ lives, demands expertise and experience in AI audit and AI security management.

The Importance of AI Certifications

At Anchoram Consulting, we are proud to contribute to this evolving landscape. David Berkelmans, Principal at Anchoram, and Karen Geappen, Director, are among the first professionals globally to obtain newly developed certifications from ISACA—David in Advanced in AI Audit (AAIA) and Karen in Advanced in AI Security Management (AAISM). These globally recognised qualifications are not just theoretical—they are directly applicable to the DTA’s standard. Like the DTA’s Technical Standard for AI, these certifications go beyond technology, coding, or prompt engineering; they encompass the entire AI implementation lifecycle from inception of the idea to use AI through to end-of-life. Uniting governance, risk, assurance, and security with the understanding of the technology and organisational priorities —ensuring responsible and effective use of AI across the public sector.

Moreover, David played a foundational role as a member of the global ISACA AAIA certification working group, helping shape the very framework that now guides AI audit practices worldwide. Karen has been deeply involved in global AI risk discussions, including contributions to the NIST AI Risk Management Framework and participation as a governance and risk expert in industry-specific autonomy workshops led by NIST.

The DTA’s framework is structured around three lifecycle phases: Discover, Operate, and Retire. Each phase requires rigorous attention to governance, risk, ethics, and security. The skills demonstrated through David’s and Karen’s certifications map precisely to these needs:

  • David’s AAIA certification equips him to assess AI systems for ethical design, governance controls, bias mitigation, and compliance—core requirements in the Discover and Operate phases.
  • Karen’s AAISM certification enables her to evaluate AI systems for robustness, resilience, and security threats, including responsible use, adversarial risks and data drift—critical to the Operate and Retire phases.

These capabilities ensure that AI systems are not only technically sound but also aligned with public sector values and obligations and actually achieve the original intended outcomes.

How Anchoram Consulting Can Assist

Anchoram Consulting brings together certified professionals and a proven track record in technology risk, internal audit, and assurance. Our team is uniquely positioned to assist government agencies in:

  • Embedding responsible AI practices into existing governance and risk frameworks including those with existing regulatory requirements.
  • Auditing AI systems against the DTA’s lifecycle phases to ensure ethical design, secure operation, and responsible decommissioning.
  • Managing AI-related risks, including bias, data drift, and adversarial threats, through robust monitoring and evaluation.
  • Supporting procurement and vendor assurance, AI supply chain risks, particularly for pre-trained models and managed services, which are covered under the standard.

A Strategic Partnership for Responsible AI

The DTA’s standard is not about adding complexity, it’s about integrating AI assurance into what agencies already do. With the right expertise, agencies can confidently adopt AI technologies while maintaining public trust and delivering high-quality services.

Anchoram Consulting, through the combined capabilities of David Berkelmans, Karen Geappen, and our broader team, stands ready to support this mission. We are committed to helping agencies navigate the technical and ethical challenges of AI, ensuring that innovation is both safe and impactful.