DBrief Podcast by Australian Industry Group
DBrief, the Australian Industry Group podcast, is for business operators keen to understand the connection between their own enterprise and the broader issues of industry development and policy and new government regulations.
Via an engaging and informal interview format, DBrief investigates:
• what is happening in industry policy, and what it means;
• where these issues are going and what you need to know and
• what you need to think about and learn in order to stay abreast of — or even ahead of — emerging issues and developments.
Tune in to stay ahead of changes and market movements and be better prepared for digitalisation, decarbonisation and diversification in your business and market sector.
DBrief Podcast by Australian Industry Group
The AI opportunity: building trust, capability and competitive advantage
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In this episode of DBrief, Louise McGrath speaks with Lee Hickin, Executive Director of the National AI Centre, about Australia's AI adoption journey and what it will take for businesses to move from experimentation to meaningful impact.
The discussion explores the gap between widespread use of AI tools and the slower pace of business transformation. Louise and Lee examine why many organisations remain cautious, how confidence and trust shape adoption decisions and what responsible AI looks like in practice for Australian businesses.
They also discuss the role of the National AI Centre and AI Adopt Centres in helping organisations build capability, navigate risk and identify practical opportunities for AI deployment. The conversation looks ahead to emerging developments such as agentic AI, Australia's role in the global AI ecosystem, and where the nation can build competitive advantage through its own strengths in areas such as healthcare, agriculture and highly regulated industries.
Key takeaways
- Australia is a strong adopter of AI tools, but many businesses are still using them in limited and relatively shallow ways.
- Confidence, trust and leadership are often bigger barriers to adoption than technology access or infrastructure.
- The National AI Centre aims to support adoption through practical guidance, capability building and clearer understanding of risk and opportunity.
- AI governance should be proportionate to the size, capability and risk profile of an organisation.
- Businesses that are progressing with AI tend to combine strong leadership, AI literacy and clear communication about its purpose.
- Agentic AI presents significant opportunities but should be viewed through the lens of business outcomes rather than technology hype.
- Australia’s biggest AI opportunity is not building the next ChatGPT, but applying AI to industries where we already have expertise, unique data and a global competitive advantage.
Links mentioned in this podcast episode:
- National AI Centre
- Artificial Intelligence: Positive for companies, their people, and Australian Industry
Contact the Industry Development & Policy team here.
