At the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s Business Leaders’ Summit in Canberra, Industry and Science Minister Tim Ayres outlined the Albanese Government’s forthcoming National AI Plan, positioning it as a blueprint to guide Australia’s transformation through artificial intelligence.
Describing it as “a broader, more expansive” framework to be released by the end of 2025, Ayres said the plan will bring together government, the tech sector, industry, unions, investors, researchers, and civil society to ensure “productive, transformative, and ethical adoption of AI.” He said Australia faces “two choices — leaning back and accepting technologies and standards made elsewhere, or stepping up and maximising an unmissable opportunity for Australia’s economy.”
Ayres highlighted how AI is already reshaping sectors including manufacturing, healthcare, and disaster management, pointing to Suncorp’s AI-enabled weather prediction models and the National Reconstruction Fund’s $32 million equity investment in Harrison.ai, whose diagnostic tools are “lifting the precision of medical professionals across Australia’s clinics and hospitals.”
He also cited Firmus Technology’s $4.5 billion Nvidia-backed AI factory in Tasmania as an example of “projects that will make Australia a leader in sustainable AI” while creating “good blue-collar jobs” across regional and suburban areas.
To support sustainable digital infrastructure, Ayres confirmed the government is developing guiding principles for data centre approvals, including requirements for renewable-energy integration and sustainability commitments.
“AI will add to, enhance and augment Australian jobs and living standards,” Ayres said. “It will strengthen Australia’s economic autonomy and resilience,” ensuring the benefits of AI are shared widely across the nation.
