Australia Launches AI Platform to Boost Robot Adoption

Australian businesses struggling to automate just got a powerful shortcut that could add up to $600 billion to the economy by 2030.

Robotics Australia Group partnered with tech company HowToRobot to launch AutomationFinder.com.au, the world's first national AI platform designed to help manufacturers identify automation opportunities and connect with the right suppliers. The tool addresses a critical problem: Australia has just 134 robots per 10,000 manufacturing workers, below the global average of 162.

"Most businesses don't yet have the structure, bandwidth, and expertise internally to move automation projects forward with the confidence and pace they need," said Søren Peters, CEO of HowToRobot. His company's AI helps businesses describe their automation projects in ways that used to require hiring engineers for 18 months.

The timing couldn't be better. Australian manufacturing faces severe skilled workforce shortages and the slowest productivity growth in 60 years, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

The new platform walks local engineers through describing their needs, then transforms those descriptions into supplier-ready project briefs. Users get real feedback on costs and feasibility from a global network of more than 20,000 vetted suppliers, including 500 in Australia alone.

"If we want the productivity benefits of automation, we need to make it easier for more Australian businesses to actually adopt it," said Paul Mason, CEO of Robotics Australia Group. "That means helping companies make better decisions before they spend the money."

The Ripple Effect

This partnership represents more than just a new website. It's a replicable model that other countries are already lining up to copy.

The platform draws on data from more than 600 existing automation projects worldwide, giving Australian businesses instant access to proven solutions. Whether a company needs robotic palletizing or automated packaging, the system remembers their interests and can follow up months later with new opportunities.

Small operations and Fortune 500 companies alike are already using earlier versions of the platform to discover opportunities, specify projects, and connect with the right automation partners. The vendor-neutral system includes everyone from global giants like FANUC to local startups.

Peters notes that previous government initiatives spent enormous amounts identifying opportunities but rarely moved projects forward. This platform keeps working long after the initial consultation, building institutional knowledge that grows more valuable over time.

Other national robot associations have already contacted HowToRobot about creating their own country versions, suggesting this Australian launch could spark a global shift in how manufacturers approach automation.

Australia just turned a complex, expensive process into something any motivated business can tackle with confidence.