This is a closed event.
AI Benefits
Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly reshaping the transport sector. AI enables automated driving, predictive maintenance, digital twins, real‑time traffic management and more accurate and rapid policy insights, improving the efficiency of passenger and freight movements, optimising operations, and helping authorities identify safety risks before they occur. AI can strengthen system resilience, support more adaptive and demand‑responsive services, and reduce labour costs through automation and advanced analytics, offering potential operational savings.
AI risks
AI introduces risks and uncertainties concerning data security, accuracy, privacy, as well as algorithmic bias and opaque decision‑making. Implementing AI also requires substantial investment—not only in technology but in retaining the human expertise needed to supervise, validate and work alongside AI systems. These costs may at times offset expected savings. As AI becomes further embedded in operations, the sector will require broader skills in data science, cybersecurity, digital engineering, and safety assurance. AI also introduces new energy and water usage pressures, which impact the availability of both resources for other uses.
AI and transport authorities
AI is transforming how transport ministries carry out regulation, planning, communication, and oversight. New actors, such as AI developers and private technology providers, are entering the governance landscape, increasing decision‑making complexity and shifting traditional roles. Ministries may also face challenges related to sovereignty, implementation costs, cybersecurity and new funding needs.
Suggested topics for discussion:
The roundtable will focus on the dual role of Transport Ministries in the face of AI uptake, with a particular focus on both sector-wide and public authority resilience and its funding implications:
1. Monitoring AI uptake, fostering it where beneficial and regulating it when necessary
How is AI changing transport, and how will that impact core functions of transport ministries and agencies? What benefits, risks, and uncertainties does AI bring for transport, and how could it affect transport sector skills and capabilities? How should the transport sector translate broader AI principles into operational and policy guidance?
2. Establishing purpose-driven internal AI use guidelines and policies for transport authorities
What opportunities and risks does AI present for the everyday work of transport ministries and agencies? What does AI governance for transport ministries and agencies look like, and how can these approaches be coordinated on a whole-of-government basis? What new capabilities and institutional arrangements will public administrations need and retain as AI becomes part of their processes?
