Ensuring APAC Representation in Drupal’s AI Future: A Policy Call from Salsa

In an in-depth article, Kurt Foster, CTO of Salsa Digital, presents Drupal’s AI strategy as more than a technical roadmap—it’s a structural rethink anchored in public sector realities. Rather than layering AI on top, Drupal is re-architecting for governance, transparency, and control. The plan centres on auditable AI workflows, flexible LLM deployment, and “human-in-the-loop” oversight—elements largely missing from mainstream AI platforms.

Salsa highlights how these principles serve the public sector's needs, especially in areas such as compliance, data sovereignty, and accountability. Agencies can host their own models, control where data is processed, and maintain full oversight through UI-based review and rollback tools. This makes Drupal’s approach both modular and regulation-ready.

The roadmap aims for real functionality, not speculative promises. A demo planned for DrupalCon Vienna will test an end-to-end AI-assisted content workflow driven by marketers, not developers. It includes AI-generated layouts, performance suggestions, and a central human control centre.

Yet Salsa is candid about the challenges. Drupal’s global governance often skews toward North America and Europe. To ensure alignment with APAC needs, Salsa is advocating for active Australian representation, particularly in standards such as the PSPF and ISM. The message is clear: without consistent local participation, regional requirements risk being sidelined.

Foster’s article is both a status update and a call to action. For governments wary of opaque AI platforms, Drupal offers an open alternative—but only if public sector leaders engage early, test critically, and hold the strategy accountable. As Salsa frames it, this is a pivotal moment: an open-source AI future won’t be built for government unless government helps build it.