Joint media release with Assistant Minister for Science, Technology, and the Digital Economy Dr Andrew Charlton

Today, the Albanese Labor Government is releasing the National AI Plan, a comprehensive roadmap to build an AI-enabled economy that harnesses the full potential of artificial intelligence for the benefit of all Australians.

As AI technologies continue to evolve, the National AI Plan will accelerate the broad development and adoption of AI, ensuring every Australian can share in its benefits while keeping a careful balance between innovation and protection from potential risks.

The National AI Plan has three goals:

1. Capturing the opportunities, including attracting investment in Australia’s digital and physical infrastructure, supporting local capability, and positioning Australia as a leading destination for future AI investment.
2. Spreading the benefits, including improving public services, supporting AI adoption and building skills across the economy, including for not-for-profits, universities, schools, TAFEs and community organisations.
3. Keeping Australians safe, including through setting up the recently announced AI Safety Institute to monitor, test and share information on emerging AI capabilities, risks and harms, which builds on our commitment to robust legal, regulatory, and ethical frameworks and engaging internationally to protect rights and build trust.

Today’s announcement is backed by a $29.9 million commitment to establish the AI Safety Institute in early 2026 to ensure that the government is monitoring and responding to risks, supporting agencies and regulators.

Building a workforce equipped to create the infrastructure, develop AI solutions and apply them effectively is critical to unlocking the full economic and social potential of this technology.

Workers and unions will play an important role in shaping the uptake and adoption of AI, with government and industry to ensure adoption is transparent, safe and responsibly managed.

The Future Skills Organisation is ensuring the skills and training system is responsive to the digital and AI skills needs of the future. They are developing generalist and specialist digital and AI units of competency across Australian Qualifications Framework levels.

The plan provides clear guidance for government, industry, researchers and communities to ensure Australians, including First Nations peoples, women, people with disability and regional communities can benefit from AI.

The National AI Plan is critical to the Government’s Future Made in Australia agenda. It complements our broader efforts to revitalise Australian industry, create high-value jobs and ensure that the benefits of technological progress are realised here at home.

The Government has already catalysed private sector investments that could scale up to more than $100 billion, with more in train.

The Plan supports the growth and commercialisation of AI solutions made in Australia, by launching an ‘AI Accelerator’ funding round of the Cooperative Research Centres (CRC) program, to turn innovative ideas from local businesses and researchers into real-world solutions.

The National AI Plan is now available at https://www.industry.gov.au/NationalAIPlan   

Quotes attributable to Minister for Industry and Innovation and Minister for Science Tim Ayres:

“The National AI Plan is about making sure technology serves Australians, not the other way around.

“This plan is focused on capturing the economic opportunities of AI, sharing the benefits broadly, and keeping Australians safe as technology evolves.

“AI will help close gaps in essential services, improve education and employment outcomes and create well paid jobs in future industries.

“Guided by the plan, the government will ensure that AI delivers real and tangible benefits for all Australians.

“As the technology continues to evolve, we will continue to refine and strengthen this plan to seize new opportunities and act decisively to keep Australians safe.”

Quotes attributable to Assistant Minister for Science, Technology and the Digital Economy Dr Andrew Charlton:

“This is a plan that puts Australians first. We are making sure Australians can benefit from this transformative technology.

“The Government is setting out an agenda that will attract positive investment, support Australian businesses to adopt and create new AI tools, and address the real risks faced by everyday Australians.

“We are committed to making sure that this transformative new technology works for Australians, promoting fairness and opportunity.”