The Australian Communications and Media Authority has named authority member and former Google executive Samantha Yorke as its first-ever Chief AI Officer.
The appointment, effective immediately, aligns with the Federal Government's 2025 National AI Plan, which mandates that all major agencies establish dedicated AI leadership to ensure the "safe, responsible, and transparent" adoption of emerging technologies across the public service.
Before joining the ACMA as an authority member in August 2023, she served as Head of Public Policy and Government Relations at Google Australia.
Her background also includes a leadership stint at DIGI, the industry body representing tech giants like Meta, TikTok, and Apple.
"AI has the potential to transform the way that we work within our agency and will similarly transform the industries that we regulate," Yorke stated. "I’m looking forward to sharing ideas and best practice with other agency Chief AI Officers under the Government’s National AI Plan."
As the CAIO, Yorke will oversee the regulator's internal AI integration while simultaneously shaping how the ACMA monitors AI’s impact on telecommunications, consumer protections, and the spread of mis- and disinformation.