Four organisations have been selected as part of the national AI Adopt Program to become AI Adopt Centres and work with small-to-medium-sized businesses on “safely” using artificial intelligence in their operations.

As part of the $17 million program, the four businesses were chosen through a grant process to provide tools and resources on how to adopt AI both efficiently and responsibly, with free specialist training to be made available to help staff harness existing knowledge and develop new skills.

The four new centres will be run by:

• Boab AI Adopt Centre, a consortium of industry and university partners delivering courses and one-on-one mentoring in AI, focussing on medical science, agriculture and renewables and low emissions tech.
• Digital Transformation Australia, leveraging the Advanced Robotics Manufacturing (ARM) Hub to provide manufacturing SMEs a tangible pathway to understanding how AI can help their individual businesses.
• elevenM, guiding SMEs through design and implementation of AI solutions with a focus on workflow and governance solutions; and
• Redgrid Internet of Energy Enterprises, focussing on regional SMEs, particularly in agriculture, forestry and fisheries and renewable technologies.

“Mobilising industry for a Future Made in Australia will be a whole lot easier if we can get businesses of all shapes and sizes using AI properly,” the Hon. Ed Husic, Minister for Industry and Science, said.

“These AI Adopt Centres will be a helpful partner for small businesses to drive productivity and will work with them to develop new products, safely and responsibly.

“As the pandemic experience showed, technology can help SMEs to not only keep operating in tough conditions but find ways to do things into the long term smarter and more efficiently.

“That’s what I want these AI Adopt Centres to do.”

The new centres will work in tangent with the National Artificial Intelligence Centre and participate in the Responsible AI Network, working closely with businesses on the key priority areas listed in the National Reconstruction Fund.