The Business Council of Australia says the Government’s National AI Plan is an important step forward in building the foundations Australia needs to seize the once-in-a-generation economic opportunity of artificial intelligence.
Business Council Chief Executive Bran Black said AI is a transformational technology with the potential to lift productivity and improve Australians’ quality of life, and the new plan is a critical step towards realising those opportunities.
“The National AI Plan charts a clear direction for how Australia can embrace AI to boost productivity, sharpen our competitiveness and raise living standards,” Mr Black said.
“It identifies where domestic capability can be built, the skills we will need in the workforce, and how innovation can be accelerated across the economy.”
Mr Black said the Government’s roadmap underscores the central message the BCA has championed: that AI is a national economic opportunity requiring deliberate, coordinated action.
“Business is ready to work with government to seize the opportunities of AI and ensure the benefits are widely shared.
“We’re pleased to see the Plan picks up many of the actions we’ve advocated for on behalf of the business community, as identified in the BCA’s AI paper, Accelerating Australia’s AI Agenda.”
These actions include:
- Recognising AI as an economic and productivity imperative
- Building AI-ready infrastructure, including data centres and sovereign compute capability
- Prioritising workforce and skills development
- Adopting responsible, risk-based regulation that leverages existing laws rather than creating a standalone AI Act
- Creating an AI Safety Institute
- Strengthening public-sector AI capability to lead by example
- Supporting the growth of sovereign AI capability, including local R&D and innovation
Mr Black said Australia must now move quickly to deliver the enabling infrastructure that AI adoption requires.
“If we want to remain globally competitive, we need AI-ready infrastructure—modern data centres, world-class compute capacity and fast, reliable connectivity.
“Building sovereign capability is critical, and backing Australian innovation through targeted R&D investment will help keep talent and ideas onshore.”
The BCA remains concerned about the many references in the Plan to regulate AI in the workplace, which, if actioned, could hinder the potential benefits for the broader economy and workers in particular.
“Australia already has comprehensive workplace, privacy, anti-discrimination and safety laws that provide world-leading safeguards,” Mr Black said.
“A comprehensive gap analysis of existing workplace protections should be done before any proposal to expand these laws is advanced. We must ensure we don’t inadvertently discourage investment or slow down the adoption of new technologies.”
The BCA notes the risks of a poor approach to regulation, as illustrated by the NSW Digital Work Systems Bill, where broad new rights for union access to systems, including personal data, threaten to impede productivity gains and delay technological adoption, despite existing protections in work health and safety laws that already require employers to ensure technology is safe.
“Striking the right regulatory balance is essential, and we must ensure existing protections remain fit for purpose without erecting barriers that make Australia a slower or less attractive place to innovate,” Mr Black said.
“Fundamentally, the best response to any concern regarding the impact of AI in the workplace is to ensure workforces are trained to make the most of the many opportunities AI can bring.
“The new AI Safety Institute can help ensure safe and responsible adoption without heavy-handed or duplicative regulation.”
The BCA emphasised that there is further work to be done in collaboration between business and government to bring the ambition of this plan to life.
“The National AI Plan provides a platform – the challenge now is execution in delivering infrastructure, building skills, supporting innovation, and ensuring regulation enables rather than restricts progress.”