AI in the Spotlight with Government's National AI Capability Plan

The federal government has announced its intention to develop a National AI Capability Plan to boost investment in Australia's artificial intelligence sector and drive economic growth 

The federal government has announced its intention to develop a National AI Capability Plan to boost investment in Australia's artificial intelligence sector and drive economic growth. 

According to a media statement by the Minister for Industry and Science, the Hon Ed Husic MP, AI and automation are expected to contribute up to $600 billion a year to Australia's GDP by 2030.   

The National AI Capability Plan has four key areas of focus. These are:  

Investment growth: a review of how existing mechanisms support Australia's AI sector and explore ways to boost private sector investment AI capability.  

Stronger AI capability: identifying how universities and businesses can contribute to future industry growth and exploring areas of comparative advantage.  

Giving AI skills a boost: accelerating AI literacy and identifying areas of upskilling and reskilling where appropriate. Preparing the workforce to reskill and take advantage of newly created opportunities.  

A focus on economic resilience: Understanding the infrastructure needed to capitalise on the AI opportunity, weighing up the opportunities versus risks in AI adoption and ensuring that AI functions as a technology enabler, supporting human insight.   

The Capability Plan is expected to be delivered by the end of 2025 after consultation with the industry and the public.  

"We need to scale up our capabilities in critical technologies in ways that work for businesses and their workers.  

"This plan will look to harness our AI know-how to secure our supply chains and strengthen our critical infrastructure," said the Minister for Industry and Science, the Hon Ed Husic MP, in a media statement.