Malta’s Public Service launches new Chief AI Officer role

The Malta Public Service is strengthening its digital transformation efforts with the creation of a new position — Chief AI Officer — to oversee and coordinate all artificial intelligence (AI) initiatives across the public administration.

The announcement was made by Principal Permanent Secretary Tony Sultana during Digital Government, a conference organised by the Malta Information Technology Agency (MITA). Mr Sultana also revealed that an AI Governance Group will be established, bringing together representatives from different sectors to guide Malta’s approach to AI in governance.

Mr Sultana said the introduction of the new role reflects the government’s commitment to embedding artificial intelligence within its operations. He described AI as a “force multiplier” that can help the Public Service deliver services more efficiently and effectively.

He expressed satisfaction with measures in next year’s National Budget, which will help make AI more accessible to the wider population through free courses and subscriptions to AI services. Mr Sultana encouraged senior public officers to mentor younger employees — who he described as “digital by birth” — and to foster a culture of innovation.

“To have a digital government, we must not be satisfied with the status quo. We must leave a legacy because, as a public administration, we are ready to lead even in this field,” Mr Sultana said.

From his end, MITA CEO Emanuel Darmanin underlined the importance of continued collaboration between MITA and the wider public sector. He noted that greater digitalisation can increase efficiency, add value for citizens and businesses, and position Malta’s public administration as a model of excellence both in Europe and internationally.

The Digital Government conference explored key themes such as interoperability, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence within public administration. The event featured contributions from local and international experts, as well as representatives from the European Commission.

Among the speakers, Claudia Oliveira from the European Commission discussed the Interoperable Europe initiative, which aims to foster more connected and efficient governance across EU member states.

Jonathan Cassar, MITA’s Chief Information Security Officer, addressed the challenges and best practices related to cyber resilience, while Dr Josianne Cutajar, former Member of the European Parliament, spoke about the AI regulatory framework and the opportunities it presents for the public sector.