A Report to the Queensland Government Geological Survey of Queensland.
The Challenge
As the state’s custodian of geoscience knowledge and data, the Geological Survey of Queensland (GSQ) is responsible for collecting, curating, and sharing critical information on Queensland’s mineral and energy resources. While this intelligence underpins a sustainable resources sector, exploration and development are becoming increasingly complex due to fewer greenfield opportunities, stricter regulations, and greater social and environmental considerations. Unlocking the value in decades of mandatory industry reporting has become essential, yet current tools don’t meet the needs of explorers to find, combine and analyse information across vast, complex datasets.
Investigations by GSQ through its Digital Librarian proof-of-concept shows that a Large Language Model based generative AI-enabled tool could streamline data accessibility and discovery and would simplify the process of drawing out relevant information, efficiently deriving actionable insights that increase the likelihood of success in exploration.
The core challenge for GSQ was to determine how to evolve the proof-of-concept into a scalable, secure, and trusted GenAI-powered service for industry. This required demonstrating clear industry value, ensuring alignment with government policies and priorities, and embedding these safeguards for accuracy, ethics, privacy, and trust into the development of the service, thus positioning GSQ at the forefront of AI-enabled open data innovation.
The Solution
In collaboration with GSQ and the UNSW AI Institute, FrontierSI identified the case for GSQ to provide a production-grade, genAI-enabled online service for industry, while providing a comprehensive analysis of strategic, technical, and governance requirements. This business case included:
- An extensive consultation with internal government supported by initial external industry stakeholders to identify needs, expectations and use cases.
- A business needs analysis derived through consultations and assessment of the technical and policy current state to define priorities.
- A technical architecture options analysis to identify viable and effective deployment models.
- An AI governance framework to ensure ethical and policy compliant operation of the service.
- A readiness assessment framework for evaluation of strategic, organisational, data, and technological readiness throughout the lifecycle of the proposed GenAI-enabled tool.
Together, these elements formed a clear, evidence-based pathway for delivering a secure, scalable, and high-value AI service for Queensland’s resource sector.
The Impact
The project has positioned GSQ to lead in the responsible delivery of generative AI tools and services for the resources sector, creating a clear and low-risk pathway from proof-of-concept to an operational public service. It has provided government and industry with a shared vision, governance safeguards, and technical foundations for unlocking the value of more than 100,000 exploration reports, thereby enabling faster, more accurate access to insights that can improve exploration outcomes by driving discoveries, reducing wasted effort, and supporting ethical and sustainable resource development. The work has also delivered a repeatable framework for AI adoption in other data-rich, regulated sectors, enhancing Queensland’s reputation as a leader in digital innovation.
Contact
To learn more, contact Gavin, at gkennedy@frontiersi.com.au.