Karen Dermody: using AI to support policy advisors in the Department of Education
Public Sector PerspectivesShow Notes
In this episode of Real Talk: AI in the VPS, Karen Dermody, Director Digital Design and Innovation at the Department of Education shares a practical case study of how AI is being used to support policy advisors working in a complex, high-stakes environment.
Speaking with Kate Fraser, Karen outlines how her team introduced an AI assistant to help navigate hundreds of policies, reduce cognitive load, and deliver faster, more consistent guidance to schools. The conversation explores how the project was designed to amplify, not replace, human expertise, with strong emphasis on trust, transparency, and continuous feedback. Karen highlights the importance of clear guardrails, daily iteration, and close collaboration between policy experts and technologists to improve accuracy and build confidence in the tool.
This episode offers insights for public sector leaders on implementing AI responsibly, demonstrating how organisations can scale expertise while keeping human judgement at the centre.
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