Ai Group - Australian Industry Group

01/09/2026 | News release | Distributed by Public on 01/08/2026 22:03

DBrief: Summer series — Getting Started - The AI Adoption Challenge for Industry

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In this episode, we explore one of the most pressing questions for Australian industry: why is AI adoption still so low, and what will it take to change that?

Our panel brings together three unique perspectives:

  • Martin U. Ripple, Group Chief Executive, ANCA - a leader in CNC machines -shares how his company overcame internal resistance and is now pushing the boundaries with virtual employees and workflow innovation.
  • Keith Ritchie, Head of Communications and Government Affairs, Siemens Australia and New Zealand, explains why digitalisation and AI are critical for productivity and decarbonisation - and how accessibility is transforming opportunities for SMEs.
  • John O'Mahony, Partner, Deloitte Access Economics, unpacks new research on the barriers to adoption and the economic dividend Australia could unlock by accelerating AI uptake.

From practical steps like hackathons and data cleaning to big-picture policy ideas such as tax incentives, this conversation explores the cultural, technical, and strategic shifts needed to make AI a driver of competitiveness rather than a curiosity.

Takeaways

  • Leadership and curiosity are essential to overcoming resistance and building confidence in AI.
  • Data quality - not just structure - is a major barrier for SMEs looking to implement AI successfully.
  • AI adoption is often driven by external suppliers and customer expectations, but long-term success requires clear business strategies.
  • Digitalisation and AI together can unlock productivity, sustainability, and innovation across supply chains.
  • Accessibility of industrial AI tools means SMEs have unprecedented opportunities to compete globally.
  • Policy levers, like targeted tax incentives, could accelerate adoption and deliver significant economic gains.
  • Ethical leadership and strong governance frameworks are critical for safe and effective AI implementation.

Read Australian Industry Group's report Artificial Intelligence: Positive for companies, their people, and Australian Industry.

Note: This recording is from a live event and the audio quality may vary.

Contact the Industry Development & Policy team here.

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Louise McGrath

In her role as Australian Industry Group's Head of Industry Development and Policy Louise provides strategic leadership and guidance for Australian Industry Group's policy agenda in building competitive industries through global integration, infrastructure development and innovation. She ensures that through policy leadership members have a voice at all levels of government, by representing and promoting their interests on current and emerging issues.

Louise represents Australian Industry in several multilateral forums, such as the B20 Taskforces, Global Business Coalition, and the East Asia Business Council working group on RCEP. She advocates for the interests of Australian Industry Group members during Free Trade Negotiations and translates those agreements to support the strategic aims of members. She is a member of CSIRO's Responsible Use of Artificial Intelligence Think Tank and the Manufacturing Advisory Group, the NESP Sustainable Communities and Waste Hub and the Advisory Group of The Australian Consortium for 'In-Country' Indonesian Studies (ACICIS).

Louise has studied a Bachelor of Arts (Arabic Language and Culture) at Deakin University and an Advanced Diploma in International Trade at RMIT. She has also studied Arabic at universities in Jordan and Egypt.

Ai Group - Australian Industry Group published this content on January 09, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on January 09, 2026 at 04:03 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]