Australia is preparing to unveil a comprehensive National AI Plan that the federal government says will shape how the country adopts, governs and benefits from artificial intelligence.

Speaking to business leaders, Industry Minister Tim Ayres described the moment as pivotal, noting that AI is now transforming sectors at a scale comparable to the arrival of the internet.

He said the plan will focus on capturing economic opportunities, ensuring every Australian shares in the gains, and embedding protections that keep people safe as the technology accelerates.

The government’s framework is designed to guide investment, strengthen local innovation and help organisations adopt AI responsibly.

Ayres emphasised that Australia intends to build capability rather than rely solely on global supply chains, and he highlighted the potential for AI to enhance productivity across industries ranging from insurance to logistics.

Early adopters such as Suncorp are already using AI to improve weather forecasting and emergency-response planning.

The plan also seeks to reassure smaller businesses that AI adoption will not be limited to large enterprises.

Ayres said the government wants a system in which advances uplift the whole economy rather than a narrow group of well-resourced firms.

A newly updated set of national guidelines is intended to support this by giving companies a clearer path for adopting AI tools in a responsible and commercially effective way.

Safety, privacy and ethics remain central to the effort.

The government says the plan will reinforce long-standing consumer protections, privacy expectations and online safety rules.

Ayres signalled that while the debate around copyright and training data continues, the government does not intend to weaken Australia’s copyright laws.

He acknowledged public concerns about job displacement but argued that AI’s long-term impact is more likely to involve augmentation of human work rather than widespread replacement.

Researchers and policy experts have urged Canberra to provide clearer guardrails, arguing that well-designed standards can build trust and support genuinely useful innovation.

The opposition, meanwhile, has criticised the government’s approach and raised concerns about unauthorised use of creative content in AI training.

The full National AI Plan is scheduled for release before the end of the year.

While the government sees it as a major milestone, Ayres underscored that it will mark the beginning of an evolving national dialogue rather than the final word on how Australia will navigate the rapid rise of artificial intelligence.