AI is driving growth in jobs, research and innovation across Australia
The report gives APS agencies a data-grounded baseline for workforce, research, and sector-level AI activity - directly useful for strategy and policy development.
Key points
- NAIC and CSIRO's 2025 AI Ecosystem Report shows AI hiring tripled since 2015, with 1,532 organisations seeking AI-skilled workers in 2024.
- Australia accounts for just 0.18% of global AI patents over ten years, signalling a commercialisation gap the upcoming AI Capability Plan aims to address.
- Energy, healthcare, and resources sectors lead AI adoption; public and private company approaches to AI differ materially.
Implications for Australian agencies
- Consider Policy and strategy teams could use the report's sectoral and workforce data to ground agency AI strategies and capability plans in current evidence.
- Monitor Agencies may want to monitor the forthcoming AI Capability Plan and Strategic Examination of R&D, which will directly shape national AI investment and commercialisation settings.
- Consider Procurement and innovation teams could assess the relaunched AI Directory as a tool for identifying Australian AI suppliers relevant to agency needs.
Implications are AI-generated. Starting points, not advice — see methodology for how they're framed.
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"AI is driving growth in jobs, research and innovation across Australia"
Source: National AI Centre
Published: 24 June 2025
URL: https://www.industry.gov.au/news/ai-driving-growth-jobs-research-and-innovation-across-australia
The National AI Centre and CSIRO have released Australia's 2025 AI Ecosystem Report, providing a data-based overview of AI growth across industries. Key findings include a tripling of AI-related job postings since 2015, a 135% rise in AI research publications, and patent growth from 170 to 629 between 2015 and 2024. Despite this momentum, Australia's 0.18% share of global AI patents highlights a commercialisation gap. The report coincides with the forthcoming AI Capability Plan and Strategic Examination of R&D, and the relaunch of the AI Directory to help SMEs, government, and industry connect with Australian AI providers.
Implications for Australian agencies:
- [Consider] Policy and strategy teams could use the report's sectoral and workforce data to ground agency AI strategies and capability plans in current evidence.
- [Monitor] Agencies may want to monitor the forthcoming AI Capability Plan and Strategic Examination of R&D, which will directly shape national AI investment and commercialisation settings.
- [Consider] Procurement and innovation teams could assess the relaunched AI Directory as a tool for identifying Australian AI suppliers relevant to agency needs.
Retrieved from SIMS, 18 July 2026.