Australia Post has extended its partnership with Microsoft for a further three years, as it looks to continue delivering on its Post26 digital strategy.

The announcement comes after Australia Post merged its software use under the Microsoft umbrella last year, in an effort to improve its cyber security and workforce connectivity by hosting data within one technology hub.

Australia Post was also an entrant in Microsoft’s Early Access program for Copilot for Microsoft 365, as it looked to discover the benefits of artificial intelligence (AI) to improve business efficiency.

“Australia Post is serious about making our services secure, and – in this age of AI – strengthening our entire technology ecosystem from emails right through to careful management of customer data,” Michael McNamara, Executive General Manager, Enterprise Services at Australia Post, said.

“We are an essential service with thousands of Posties delivering across the country, Australia’s largest retail network with more Post Offices nationally than the major supermarkets combined, and a growing network of parcel facilities powering eCommerce. The need for them to be connected – and for secure information flow – is absolutely a priority.

“We are focused on partnering with leading technology companies worldwide that can bring the best engineering capability and talent, and this renewal underscores our commitment to innovation and security.”

The partnership extension also paves the way for Australia Post to continue developing a new cloud capability through Microsoft’s Azure hosting platform.

“Microsoft is proud to continue our partnership with Australia Post, an institution at the heart of Australian community life,” Jo Dooley, General Manager of Enterprise Commercial at Microsoft Australia and New Zealand, said.

“Together, we’re not only bolstering defences against the latest security threats, but also empowering Australia Post to fulfill its mission of connecting people across Australia more securely and efficiently. This collaboration is pivotal in transforming how it manages and protects customer data in the age of AI, ensuring every interaction is safe and trusted.”

The contract renewal is Australia Post’s second deal to enhance its digital capabilities, after inking a multi-year deal with Salesforce to boost its modernisation plans through digitisation, automation and simplification.