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On Tuesday, the Albanese government released its National AI Plan, which aims to see AI used effectively across a range of industries, workforces, and social sectors.
Bethany Alvaro
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Tue, 02 Dec 2025
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Digital Transformation
The Labor government has announced a highly anticipated and long awaited National AI Plan that seeks to harness the benefits of AI to the wider Australian community, with a focus on building an ‘AI-enabled economy’.
Industry and Innovation, and Science Minister Tim Ayres said that the plan is key to ensuring that everyday Aussies are reaping the benefits of the ever growing technology.
“The National AI Plan is about making sure technology serves Australians, not the other way around,” said Ayres.
“This plan is focused on capturing the economic opportunities of AI, sharing the benefits broadly, and keeping Australians safe as technology evolves.
“Guided by the plan, the government will ensure that AI delivers real and tangible benefits for all Australians.”
The new plan, which has been in the works for over a year, follows the Albanese government’s commitment to making AI a national priority as Australia’s workforce, industry, and education sectors continue to implement the technology on a day-to-day basis.
“AI will help close gaps in essential services, improve education and employment outcomes and create well paid jobs in future industries,” said Ayres.
The government has ensured that the plan will provide guidance on ensuring that First Nations peoples, women, people with disabilities and regional/remote communities can benefit from AI.
The plan consists of three primary goals, with the first focusing on enhancing existing and future digital & physical AI infrastructure to uplift local capabilities and position Australia as a global tech leader.
The second goal is to spread the benefits of AI across a range of social and economic
industries, fostering AI usage in public services, education, and not-for-profits.
The Future Skills Organisation, funded by the Department of Employment and Workforce Relations, is currently developing AI competency units of study across Australian Qualifications Framework levels.
Finally, the plan is focused on keeping everyday Aussies safe when using AI, building on legal and ethical guidelines to ensure effective and beneficial use of the technology.
The plan is supported by the recent investment of $29.9 million towards forming the AI Safety Institute, which will launch in 2026 and see the federal government working with industry to monitor emerging risks and harms of AI usage in Australia.
The federal government said the plan is critical to achieving the objectives set out in the Future Made in Australia agenda that seeks to boost Australia’s industry sectors and create ‘high-value’ jobs in the market.
In the 2024-25 Budget the government committed to spending $22.7 billion over the next decade to achieve its goals, with the National AI Plan being a key segment of this investment. The government wants Australians to benefit from this “transformative technology”, as Assistant Minister for Science, Technology, and the Digital Economy, Dr. Andrew Charlton notes.
“The Government is setting out an agenda that will attract positive investment, support Australian businesses to adopt and create new AI tools, and address the real risks faced by everyday Australians.”
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