The Australian Government Just Built a Free AI Toolkit for Small Businesses

The National AI Centre has launched AI.gov.au, a new government portal aimed at helping Australian small businesses and not-for-profits start using AI. It went live this week under the National AI Plan.

For most small business owners, the barrier to AI adoption isn’t capability: it’s knowing where to start. AI.gov.au is the government’s attempt to answer that. One place, vetted content, no vendor pitch.

Here’s what’s actually on it.

What you’ll find on AI.gov.au

The initial release includes:

• Guidance for AI adoption: step-by-step frameworks for planning AI use in your business
• AI skills for business: free courses to bring your team up to speed
• AI Adoption Tracker: data on how Australian businesses are using AI, with trends tracked from late 2025 into 2026
• AI directory of Australian businesses: a searchable list of Australian AI companies by sector
• Australia’s AI ecosystem report: the full picture of where Australian AI is heading
• AI event calendar: upcoming events worth attending

The content draws on research from CSIRO’s Data61, the Human Technology Institute at UTS, and the Safe AI Adoption Model (SAAM) AI Adopt Centre.

Is it worth your time?

Honestly, it depends on where you are in the journey.

If you’re just starting out and trying to convince yourself or your team that AI is worth exploring, the guidance frameworks and free courses are useful. The AI Adoption Tracker is worth a look too: seeing that other SMEs are moving gives some business owners the push they need.

If you’re already running AI tools in your business, most of this will feel like introductory material. The directory is interesting regardless: it’s a good way to find Australian-built tools rather than defaulting to US products.

The site was built after user research with industry and government, which shows. It doesn’t try to cover everything. It focuses on the questions small businesses actually ask first: where do I start, how do I plan this, what are the risks?

One less excuse to wait

Australian small businesses have been slower to adopt AI than their international counterparts. The 2026 AI Adoption Tracker covers December 2025 through February 2026: a period when adoption was accelerating fast. Having government-backed guidance in one place, rather than scattered across department websites, removes a real barrier.

It’s free. It’s government-backed. It’s built for people who aren’t tech experts. Worth bookmarking.

Visit AI.gov.au directly, or read the full announcement from the Department of Industry, Science and Resources.

Sources

• National AI Centre launches AI.gov.au. Department of Industry, Science and Resources
• AI.gov.au. National AI Centre

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