ACS Panel breakfast: Who owns the AI risk?
Who owns the risk when AI makes decisions, influences outcomes, or causes harm? Join us for a practical conversation about what responsible AI leadership looks like in action.
Member $15.00
Member-Concessional $15.00
Non-Member $30.00
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About this event
*This event is open to senior members only.
**If you experience any issues with registration, please contact the ACS Canberra team at acs.canb@acs.org.au for assistance.
Who owns the risk when AI makes the decision?
AI is rapidly becoming part of how organisations assess information, make decisions and deliver services. But as its influence grows, so does a fundamental leadership challenge: who is accountable when an AI-enabled decision goes wrong?
This ACS Canberra leadership breakfast brings together senior leaders from government, industry and technology to tackle the practical realities of AI accountability.
Rather than focusing on AI technology itself, the conversation will examine the leadership questions organisations must resolve: who owns the risk, who has authority to make decisions, how oversight works in practice, and how organisations maintain trust when accountability is shared across people, systems and suppliers.
Featuring perspectives from:
- Niki Strachan, Strategy and Prioritisation, DTA
- Nikky Burger, Principal Business Consultant, Datacom
- Dani Storey MACS, Chief Digital Innovation Strategist, Leidos Australia and ACS Canberra Branch Executive Committee member
- Annie Ryan MACS snr CP, Chief Operating Officer, APVMA and ACS Canberra Branch Chair
The event also reflects ACS’s commitment to supporting women in technology and strengthening diverse voices in technology leadership.
The conversation
We will explore:
- Who owns AI risk at the organisational level?
- Who is accountable when AI contributes to a poor outcome?
- Where do governance frameworks break down in practice?
- How should leaders define decision rights and escalation points?
- What can organisations do now to strengthen responsible AI governance?
Expect practical perspectives on AI governance, cyber and compliance risk, emerging policy expectations, organisational accountability, and lessons from leaders working across government and industry.
AI governance cannot sit with the technology team alone. It is a leadership issue.
Join us for a practical conversation about what responsible AI leadership looks like in action.
Photography: Photography will take place during the event, and selected images may be used to promote future ACS events and programs. Please advise the event coordinator on the day if you do not wish to be photographed.
Parking: Nearby parking is available at ANU, in front of the ATO building and at Canberra Centre. Canberra Centre offers $15 full-day parking on Levels 4, 5 and 6.
Speakers
Niki Strachan works at the intersection of digital strategy, digital investment, and AI and cyber governance.
Her leadership signature is making the unknown known: turning complex technology, investment and policy risks into decision-ready choices for government. She brings calm judgement, commercial discipline, warmth and high standards to complex and fast moving work.
Niki is at her best where systems are changing, evidence is incomplete and the path forward is contested. She helps organisations see the system and supports government to act early, invest well and deliver strong outcomes for Australians.
She holds an MBA and Master of Cyber Security. Sport was a huge part of her formative years and continues to shape the person she is today.
Nikky Burger is a Principal Business Consultant at Datacom, specialising in AI strategy, governance and operating model design.
She works with organisations to translate AI ambition into practical approaches for responsible adoption, helping leaders clarify accountability, strengthen decision-making and embed appropriate governance across the AI lifecycle.
Nikky is particularly interested in how organisations can balance innovation with risk, ensuring that responsibility for AI outcomes remains clear as technologies become more deeply embedded in business operations and public services. Her work spans complex organisations across Australia, with a focus on turning responsible AI principles into actionable governance, investment and implementation decisions.
Event Location
Event Terms & Conditions
Registration
- Payment in full is required the time of booking in order for the registration to be valid.
- To avoid disappointment, ensure you pay for your booking(s) before the registration closing date. Anyone that has not received a confirmation email will not be on the event attendance list and therefore will not be admitted to the event.
- Online registration ends at the time stated on the event details page.
Cancellation and Refund
All cancellations must be processed through the website, a refund will only be considered if it is at least 3 working days prior to the event.
Disclaimer
- ACS reserves the right to change the program at any time. Every effort will be made to ensure a program of equivalent standard and members are updated with changes.
- All dietary requirements are considered, however we cannot guarantee a 100% allergen free environment.
- ACS reserves the right to prohibit entry or eject any person from an ACS event based on behaviour deemed inappropriate by ACS staff, its agents and/or others working under its authority.
- Filming or streaming by attendees is not permitted. If an attendee is found to be doing so they will be asked to leave the event immediately and further action may be taken.
- Photography and/or filming may take place during this event, by accepting these terms you consent to this. Please let a member of ACS know if you do not want your picture taken.
COVID-19 Event Attendance Compliance
By registering to attend an ACS in person event you are agreeing to the below terms and conditions
- If an attendee is displaying flu or cold like symptoms in the days leading up to the event and therefore is not able to attend, ACS will refund the registration fee.
- If an attendee comes to an event and is displaying flu or cold like symptoms they will be asked to leave
- We ask all ACS members to respect the social distancing guidelines, if an attendee repeatedly disregards these guidelines, they may be asked to leave
- ACS reserves the right to cancel the event within 24 hours' notice if either the speaker or the event host has advised us that they are exhibiting flu or cold like symptoms
- All attendees must provide a valid phone number and email address to be contacted on if there is reason to notify about a possible COVID-19 exposure
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