Australia Sees Significant AI Growth

Research from Google and IPSOS finds that nearly three-quarters of Australians are actively using AI tools at work. 

By Maggie Mancini

Nearly half (49%) of Australians report using generative AI at least once over the past year, up from 38% in 2023, according to a recent survey from Google and IPSOS. While there are still some concerns in comparison to other countries, Australians are more excited and less worried about AI than they were in 2023, with 52% of Australians saying they believe AI will benefit people like them.  

More Australians who believe AI will change jobs and industries in the next five years believe that change will be a good thing (47%). Looking ahead, Australians are most excited about AI applications that help find information online (59%), personal assistants that can help them shop online, organise schedules, and plan trips (55%), and personal tutors that can help with homework (51%).  

AI is rapidly becoming an essential tool in Australian workplaces, and 74% of Australian AI users report using it for work. Rather than being used just for increased productivity, Australians are using AI on a more strategic level—assisting with writing (75%), brainstorming (69%), and problem-solving (70%) as well as helping digest longer documents (68%) and complex information (60%).  

Australians see the most important workforce application of AI as those that help with complex data (82%) and promote business problem-solving (79%). More than half of Australians believe AI will free up time so workers can focus on more rewarding aspects of work (51%). Fewer than half feel that AI will increase demands on workers to do more with less (46%).