This week I joined the team at the SMEC AI Adopt Centre in Melbourne to launch the new AI Information Line, an AI-powered service designed to help Australian small and medium businesses get answers to their AI questions and connect with trusted support.
We know many business owners prefer to pick up the phone when they need help. They're busy running their businesses, managing staff, serving customers and making decisions every day.
For many, exploring AI isn't something that happens in a dedicated workshop or strategy session. It's a question that comes up while driving between appointments, on the commute home, or during a rare break in the day.
The National AI Centre’s AI Adoption Tracker research shows that many businesses are interested in AI but face common barriers when it comes to taking the next step.
54% of non-adopting SMEs don't believe AI is relevant to their business.
Many business owners simply haven't seen how AI could apply to the challenges they face every day.
19% say they don't know how to use AI in their business.
They're interested in learning more, but aren't sure where to begin.
43.6% of regional SMEs not currently adopting AI cite a lack of in-house skills and expertise as a key barrier.
For many businesses, particularly in regional Australia, access to trusted advice and support remains a challenge.
Together, these findings point to a simple challenge: many businesses are interested in AI, but they're still looking for practical advice on where to start and what comes next.
Developed by the SMEC AI team, the AI Information Line uses AI-powered voice agent technology to help businesses explore AI opportunities and access information in a simple, accessible way.
When you call, you'll speak with John, an AI voice assistant that clearly identifies itself as AI at the start of the conversation. John will ask a few questions about your business, any challenges you're trying to solve, and what you'd like to learn about. Using that information, the service provides general information about AI and suggests opportunities that may be relevant to your business.
After the call, you'll receive an AI Information Summary by text message. This plain-English summary recaps the discussion and outlines potential next steps you may wish to explore.
The service is hosted in Australia, and any personal information you provide is handled in accordance with the SMEC AI privacy policy. Personal information collected through the service is not used to train the AI model.
Importantly, the AI Information Line is designed to support, not replace, human expertise. The information provided is general in nature and not professional advice. If you would like more personalised support, you can choose to connect with a member of the SMEC AI Adopt Centre team at any stage.
You don't need to know exactly what you're looking for. Start with a question, a challenge you're facing, or an idea you'd like to explore.
Call 1800 517 403 or visit the SMEC AI website for more information.