A new front door for AI in Australia

For some time now, the National AI Centre has been listening to Australian industry to understand what is needed to unlock opportunity, normalise the best and safe practices, and ensure all Australians can access the skills and fluency required.

What we’ve learned is that one of the biggest blockers for many people is a lack of clarity about the right level of governance to address concerns around AI. We’ve also heard that it can be difficult to know which capabilities are worth investing in to get the most value from AI.

All of this points to the fundamental ambition of this platform: to give you confidence that with the right practices, clear use cases and easy-to-use tools, AI can bring economic opportunity, business growth and positive outcomes for you and your community.

This confidence is not just for industry – all Australians need to be included in this opportunity. The National AI Centre is here for businesses large and small. It’s here for charities and not-for-profits, for social enterprises, and for First Nations businesses. Above all, it’s here to offer all Australians a balanced, clear and constantly growing place to make AI work for you.

I wonder if, like me, you remember the first time you had that ‘oh’ moment with AI. For me it was in early 2023 when I got access to GPT-4 voice mode – I found myself having a conversation with AI and forgetting the fact I was talking to a digital voice. At the time, it was magical, disconcerting, exciting and the start of something quite unpredictable in terms of the impact it would go on to have in the world.

I’ve had the privilege of working in the IT industry for over 30 years and have seen many amazing technologies come along and shape the way we live and work – with laptops, tablets, mobile devices, virtualisation, cloud computing, and now AI.

Every innovation leap creates an equal wave of fear and excitement. AI perhaps more so as it encroaches on something we hold very close as humans: the ability to think. I am by no means suggesting that AI is anything more than a technology, but it’s a technology that raises new and difficult conversations around what it means to be productive, creative, and human.

The National AI Centre and this new platform (ai.gov.au) were established with two clear aims:

1. To bring clarity and confidence to all Australians on how to manage the risks, capture the opportunity and develop the fluency to be a world-leading AI adopting nation.
2. To bring together the ever growing and confusing – and often conflicting – voices on AI and filter it down to an approachable, achievable, and relevant set of tools, practices and guidance that will keep pace with the rapidly changing AI ecosystem.

I want to also extend my thanks to the many contributions of the Safe AI Adoption Model (SAAM) consortium. The SAAM is an AI Adopt Centre project funded by the Department of Science, Industry and Resources and comprises of representatives from:

• ctrl:cyber
• Human Technology Institute, University of Technology Sydney, 
• Australian Computer Society
• Atlassian 
• KPMG
• Microsoft 
• TDC Global. 

Their insights and content have played a significant role in shaping the project’s direction and ensuring this platform reflects the current and emerging needs of Australian organisations.

I encourage you to use this platform to start your AI journey or to chart a clearer path as you invest further in AI. I hope it becomes a trusted place you can return to as AI continues to evolve and as we learn together how to use it well.

We will continue expanding this content with new developments, ideas and practices to help keep all Australians safe and prospering.