National AI Plan — AI6 Guidance  ·  In effect from 21 October 2025

The six requirements every contractor must satisfy before AI becomes a liability.

Australia's AI6 Guidance is the emerging standard for responsible AI governance in commercial and government contracting. If you are deploying AI — in estimating, scheduling, safety monitoring, or document control — this framework defines what must be documented, monitored, and auditable before a principal asks for it.

Behind this app: James Clements — 30 years in heavy industry, not a software vendor. About James →

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AI6 Guidance Compliance App — Australian National AI Plan, AI6 Guidance, Tender Compliance Ready
This is not optional. It is the new baseline for contract compliance — and principals are beginning to require it in tender submissions. Read more →
06 Governance pillars that form the AI6 compliance baseline
Dec
2026 Privacy Act deadline — automated decision-making disclosures become mandatory
04 Document templates required per pillar for a complete audit-ready compliance pack
Background

What AI6 Guidance is — and what it is not.

The AI6 Guidance was published by the National AI Centre (NAIC) in October 2025 as practical implementation guidance under Australia's National AI Plan. It updates and replaces the Voluntary AI Safety Standard (VAISS) as the primary reference for responsible AI governance in Australia. It is non-binding — but it is the framework against which responsible AI use is now measured by principals, insurers, and regulators preparing for the December 2026 Privacy Act amendments.

For Tier 2 and Tier 3 contractors in civil, resources, energy, defence, and infrastructure — the practical reality is this: if a principal or government client asks how you govern AI, the AI6 framework is the answer they expect. The National AI Plan (December 2025) confirms Australia will rely on existing laws plus voluntary guidance — including AI6 — supported by a new AI Safety Institute from 2026.

This guide walks your organisation through each of the six pillars, translates the requirements into contractor-relevant language, and provides the documentation templates and audit checklists you need to demonstrate compliance.

Dec 2026
The Privacy Act amendments take effect. Organisations using automated decision-making — including AI-assisted processes — will be legally required to disclose this in plain language. Compliance work must begin now.
Scope of this guide

Who this applies to

Any organisation that deploys, develops, or procures AI tools in commercial, government-adjacent, or safety-critical contexts.

In practice, this includes:

  • AI-assisted estimating and cost-management platforms
  • Automated scheduling and workforce management tools
  • AI-powered document control and compliance systems
  • Generative AI tools used by project, commercial, or HSEQ teams
  • Safety monitoring and predictive analytics platforms

If your people are using it, your organisation is responsible for governing it.

The framework

Six pillars. One compliance baseline.

Each pillar defines a specific governance obligation. Each has documented requirements, audit criteria, and template documentation. Select a pillar below to access the full implementation guide and audit checklist.

01
Decide who is accountable

Establish clear ownership and governance over every AI system throughout its lifecycle — from procurement through to decommissioning. Define who approves, operates, and monitors each system.

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02
Understand impacts and plan accordingly

Identify how AI systems affect workers, subcontractors, and vulnerable stakeholders. Establish formal mechanisms for redress and contestability before a harm occurs.

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03
Measure and manage risks

Treat AI as a material business hazard. Integrate AI-specific risk categories — algorithmic drift, cyber exposure, data integrity failures — into your enterprise risk register.

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04
Share essential information

Maintain a centralised AI register. Update privacy disclosures. Ensure transparency up and down your supply chain about what AI systems you operate and for what purpose.

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05
Test and monitor

Conduct pre-deployment testing for accuracy, bias, and security. Maintain a continuous performance dashboard. Detect and respond to algorithmic drift before it causes operational harm.

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06
Maintain human control

Keep humans in the loop. Define exactly when and how operators must review AI outputs, override decisions, and shut down systems if required — before a safety or compliance incident forces the issue.

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Document structure

What each pillar guide contains.

Every pillar guide is structured identically. Work through them in sequence. By the time you complete all six, you will have a complete, audit-ready AI governance pack.

01 Plain-language explanation What the pillar requires and why it matters in a contractor context
02 RACI accountability matrix Roles and responsibilities mapped across your supply chain
03 Required document templates The exact documents an auditor will expect to see
04 Audit-ready checklist Five checklist items per pillar — saveable and printable
01
Start with accountability

Pillar 01 is foundational. You cannot govern risk, share information, or maintain human control if no-one owns the outcome. Complete this pillar first.

02
Work through each pillar in sequence

Each pillar builds on the previous. The accountability structure from Pillar 01 feeds directly into the risk and transparency requirements of Pillars 03 and 04.

03
Complete the checklist for each pillar

The checklist items map directly to the questions a compliance auditor or principal will ask. Save your progress as you go — each checklist persists between sessions.

04
Identify and close your gaps

Each guide highlights the common gaps that auditors find in contractor submissions. Use these to prioritise your compliance work and close exposures before a client surfaces them.

Next step

Ready to build a complete, audit-ready AI governance framework?

This guide gives you the foundation. The full AI6 Guidance — Compliance App delivers every document template, a live compliance dashboard, and a structured audit trail — purpose-built for Australian heavy industry contractors.

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Pillars 02–06, all 24 document templates, audit checklists, and implementation guides are available with the full compliance pack.

Pillar 01 — Accountability is available as a free preview.

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