nsw.gov.au launches AI search summaries

Finding information on nsw.gov.au just got easier. We’ve added AI-generated summaries to search results. Now, when someone searches for something, they’ll see a short, helpful summary at the top of the page. These summaries are powered by generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) and are based on the latest content from our website.

Our users often tell us that they want quick answers when they search. These summaries help users get the information they need faster, without having to click through a lot of pages. It’s all part of our goal to make digital services inclusive and accessible, Mission 1 of the NSW Digital Strategy. 

How AI search summaries work

A parent wants to know when the next school holidays are. They type “next school holidays” into the search bar. Right away, they’ll get the dates they’re looking for, without having to click around. If they want more details, links to full pages are just below.

The information in the summary comes from the top three relevant search results from within nsw.gov.au and service.nsw.gov.au. The nsw.gov.au team sets the rules to make sure the summaries match the tone and accuracy of the site.  

Testing and learning

Before its launch, we tested the feature thoroughly. We did this by reviewing the responses that were generated for frequently searched terms and optimised the prompts to improve the summaries.

We reviewed the feature based on the following categories:

• Accuracy: Does the summary reflect correct info?
• Freshness: Is the summary based on up-to-date content?
• Fairness & Bias: Are all groups represented fairly?
• Inclusiveness: Are summaries suitable for CALD audiences?

First, we developed a structured testing process. We then selected 800+ high-traffic and random queries from existing searches and against the above categories. We analysed inaccurate or unexpected summaries for root causes. Once found, we refined the prompt strategies to generate more accurate, reliable AI summaries.

Of all the queries tested, the overall testing delivered an 98.5% accuracy score. No critical concerns based on the categories were reported.  

Why the AI summaries help customers

The new AI search summaries improve the customer experience of nsw.gov.au.

• Saves time: key information is shown in a short summary, so users don’t need to read through the whole webpage.
• Trustworthy: summaries use information from official NSW Government websites.
• Consistent: dates and terms are shown in a standard way.
• Easy to find services: especially helpful for the 58% of nsw.gov.au users scanning search results on mobile devices.
• Up-to-date: the information is current, and excludes outdated content.
• Accessible: the summaries use simple, clear language that everyone can understand.

Safe and responsible use of AI

We’ve made sure that this AI feature is safe and responsible. The search summary feature was reviewed against the NSW AI Assessment Framework (AIAF). The NSW AIAF is a risk self-assessment framework for NSW Government agencies. It ensures responsible design, development, deployment, procurement and use of AI technologies. It’s aligned with the AI Ethical Principles.

Future enhancements

We’re working on even more improvements. Soon, summaries will support multiple languages, and will be in the same language as the query. This means a Vietnamese-speaking person can enter their search term in Vietnamese and see the summary in the same language. This will help culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities. We’ll support 70 languages, including Mandarin, Arabic and Hindi.

These enhancements make searching nsw.gov.au even more useful and easy to use. We’ll continue to introduce AI in a way that is safe, helpful and focused on improving the customer experience.