Author: James Riley

July 3, 2025

News Wrap: Sharp elbows and lost voices in productivity discussion

There are just two topics of conversation in Australia right now: You are either talking about artificial intelligence, or you’re talking about productivity (or you are talking about them both at the same time). Which brings us to Treasurer Jim Chalmer’s Productivity Roundtable to be held in Canberra next month. There were plenty of eyebrows…

The post News Wrap: Sharp elbows and lost voices in productivity discussion appeared first on InnovationAus.com.

This post was originally published on InnovationAus.com.
July 3, 2025

EU turns to private funding to boost quantum ambition

The European Union is seeking to attract private funding to help it take the lead in quantum technology by 2030, EU tech chief Henna Virkkunen said on Wednesday, as the bloc works to cut its reliance in the sector on the United States and China. Quantum technology will make processing significantly faster than conventional computing,…

The post EU turns to private funding to boost quantum ambition appeared first on InnovationAus.com.

This post was originally published on InnovationAus.com.
July 1, 2025

Tendertrace readies its UK expansion via London Tech Week

It has been a massive few weeks for Sydney-based data intelligence startup Tendertrace, having stormed through the London Tech Week ahead of the company’s expansion into the UK. The company also added a powerful GenAI assistant to its procurement data platform, enabling contract searches in natural language, and instant analysis of the top 50 returns….

The post Tendertrace readies its UK expansion via London Tech Week appeared first on InnovationAus.com.

This post was originally published on InnovationAus.com.
June 30, 2025

A call to action as Australia arrives at its AI moment

Just like the rest of the world, Australia has arrived at its AI moment. Decisions that get made today about industry development strategies and productivity will have a big impact in the decades to come. But, where many of our economic peers around the world have made bold investment decisions about building sovereign AI infrastructure…

The post A call to action as Australia arrives at its AI moment appeared first on InnovationAus.com.

This post was originally published on InnovationAus.com.
June 30, 2025

Canada rescinds digital services tax to advance US trade talks

Canada scrapped its digital services tax targeting US technology firms late on Sunday, just hours before it was due to take effect, in a bid to advance stalled trade negotiations with the United States. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and US President Donald Trump will resume trade negotiations in order to agree on a deal…

The post Canada rescinds digital services tax to advance US trade talks appeared first on InnovationAus.com.

This post was originally published on InnovationAus.com.
June 27, 2025

Trump plans executive orders to power AI growth in economic race

The Trump administration is readying a package of executive actions aimed at boosting energy supply to power the US expansion of artificial intelligence, according to four sources familiar with the planning. Top economic rivals US and China are locked in a technological arms race and with it secure an economic and military edge. The huge…

The post Trump plans executive orders to power AI growth in economic race appeared first on InnovationAus.com.

This post was originally published on InnovationAus.com.
June 27, 2025

Business Council pivot to tech issues gathers momentum

The appointment of AirTrunk chief executive Robin Khuda and Telstra CEO Vicki Brady to the board of the Business Council of Australia flags a strengthening pivot at the BCA toward the technology sector. Announced on Friday, the appointments add significant tech industry weight to a board that had already signaled a shift toward innovation and…

The post Business Council pivot to tech issues gathers momentum appeared first on InnovationAus.com.

This post was originally published on InnovationAus.com.
June 27, 2025

Our innovation gap threatens national safety, not just prosperity

From grey zone coercion to regional surveillance competition, the Indo-Pacific is now in live contest. Yet our national innovation posture is not structured to mitigate emerging risks or leverage strategic possibilities. Innovation is now a national imperative, underpinning Australia’s security and safety as much as economic prosperity. Without a stronger innovation engine, Australia will struggle….

The post Our innovation gap threatens national safety, not just prosperity appeared first on InnovationAus.com.

This post was originally published on InnovationAus.com.
June 26, 2025

News Wrap: AI sure makes this a funny old world

The world is a funny old place. A judge in San Francisco has ruled that Anthropic’s use of a bunch of books without permission to train its AI system was legal under US copyright law. This is a big win. The company was deemed to have made ‘fair use’ of the books to train its…

The post News Wrap: AI sure makes this a funny old world appeared first on InnovationAus.com.

This post was originally published on InnovationAus.com.
June 26, 2025

R&D, too, is a fundamental input for defence capability

Machines alone don’t create an ability to fight a war. Recognising this, the Australian Defence Organisation classifies equipment as just one ‘fundamental input to capability’—alongside such things as people, training and supplies, all of which must be integrated to create military power. It’s time to recognise research and development as another of these. Without sustained,…

The post R&D, too, is a fundamental input for defence capability appeared first on InnovationAus.com.

This post was originally published on InnovationAus.com.
June 25, 2025

Debate over US AI regulation now hinges on broadband funding

The fight over a proposed 10-year federal moratorium on state regulation of artificial intelligence heated up on Wednesday, with Republican and Democratic Senate leaders differing on whether such a measure would be tied to billions of dollars in funding to help states improve broadband infrastructure. Major AI companies including Alphabet’s Google and OpenAI have expressed…

The post Debate over US AI regulation now hinges on broadband funding appeared first on InnovationAus.com.

This post was originally published on InnovationAus.com.
June 25, 2025

Sovereign AI infrastructure needs $2b to $4b in investment: ACS

Building sovereign AI infrastructure should be a first order priority within the Albanese government’s second term productivity agenda, Australian Computer Society chief executive Josh Griggs says. The development of national AI capability would be a fundamental input to productivity improvements, Mr Griggs said, and building the digital infrastructure to support that capability cannot be left…

The post Sovereign AI infrastructure needs $2b to $4b in investment: ACS appeared first on InnovationAus.com.

This post was originally published on InnovationAus.com.
June 25, 2025

Anthropic wins key US ruling on AI in authors’ copyright lawsuit

A federal judge in San Francisco has ruled that Anthropic’s use of books without permission to train its artificial intelligence system was legal under US copyright law. Siding with tech companies on a pivotal question for the AI industry, US District Judge William Alsup said Anthropic made “fair use” of books by writers Andrea Bartz,…

The post Anthropic wins key US ruling on AI in authors’ copyright lawsuit appeared first on InnovationAus.com.

This post was originally published on InnovationAus.com.
June 25, 2025

Last chance: InnovationAus Awards entries close July 2

Calling all innovators! The entry deadline for the 2025 InnovationAus Awards for Excellence will close at midnight on Wednesday July 2. Don’t miss your chance to put a spotlight on your company’s hard work. Don’t miss your opportunity to showcase your company’s product or service – or to nominate one of our outstanding entrepreneurs for…

The post Last chance: InnovationAus Awards entries close July 2 appeared first on InnovationAus.com.

This post was originally published on InnovationAus.com.
June 25, 2025

Last chance: InnovationAus Awards entries close July 2

Calling all innovators! The entry deadline for the 2025 InnovationAus Awards for Excellence will close at midnight on Wednesday July 2. Don’t miss your chance to put a spotlight on your company’s hard work. Don’t miss your opportunity to showcase your company’s product or service – or to nominate one of our outstanding entrepreneurs for…

The post Last chance: InnovationAus Awards entries close July 2 appeared first on InnovationAus.com.

This post was originally published on InnovationAus.com.
June 23, 2025

We can chart our own path on AI regulation: ACTU

Early employee engagement on AI-related workplace issues will be key to extracting maximum value from the technology, ACTU assistant secretary Joseph Mitchell says. The Australian Council of Trade Unions has been actively focused on AI policy development for several years and has become more vocal in recent months on the handling of workplace issues ahead…

The post We can chart our own path on AI regulation: ACTU appeared first on InnovationAus.com.

This post was originally published on InnovationAus.com.
June 22, 2025

NSW Budget: $80m in startup support, data centre reform

NSW treasurer Daniel Mookhey’s state Budget this week will include the creation of a new Investment Delivery Authority and $80 million in new innovation funding to support startups. The Investment Delivery Authority is modelled on the successful Housing Delivery Authority and will call for expressions of interest for innovation projects proposed for the state valued…

The post NSW Budget: $80m in startup support, data centre reform appeared first on InnovationAus.com.

This post was originally published on InnovationAus.com.
June 22, 2025

Gilmour’s maiden ElaraSat mission launch expected Monday

If everything goes to plan, Gilmour Space Technologies’ ElaraSat satellite bus will be lifted to low earth orbit on Monday as a rideshare customer aboard the next SpaceX Transporter-14 launch. ElaraSat is a 100-kilogram, multi-mission satellite (MMS) platform built on the Gold Coast by Gilmour. The first-time mission is called MMS-1 and will be carried…

The post Gilmour’s maiden ElaraSat mission launch expected Monday appeared first on InnovationAus.com.

This post was originally published on InnovationAus.com.
June 22, 2025

Europeans seek ‘digital sovereignty’ as they reject US tech firms

At a market stall in Berlin run by charity Topio, volunteers help people who want to purge their phones of the influence of US tech firms. Since Donald Trump’s inauguration, the queue for their services has grown. Interest in European-based digital services has jumped in recent months, data from digital market intelligence company Similarweb shows….

The post Europeans seek ‘digital sovereignty’ as they reject US tech firms appeared first on InnovationAus.com.

This post was originally published on InnovationAus.com.
June 19, 2025

Meet the judges: 2025 InnovationAus Awards for Excellence

Good news! The deadline for entries for the 2025 InnovationAus Awards for Excellence has been extended to midnight on Wednesday July 2 to give our best entrepreneurs and innovators time to put the final touches on their submissions. Even better news! InnovationAus has secured the support of an outstanding cast of industry, science and business…

The post Meet the judges: 2025 InnovationAus Awards for Excellence appeared first on InnovationAus.com.

This post was originally published on InnovationAus.com.
June 19, 2025

Sovereign AI and digital supply chains are the new black

It is only June, and yet it’s already possible to declare 2025 the year of sovereign AI and digital supply chains. At least, this is certainly true of our little patch of reporting on tech and innovation. Stories related to these issues are a staple of international headlines. They are as perennial as the grass….

The post Sovereign AI and digital supply chains are the new black appeared first on InnovationAus.com.

This post was originally published on InnovationAus.com.
June 19, 2025

Teen social media ban faces a new wildcard: teenagers

When 13-year-old Jasmine Elkin tried out the age-checking software Australia might use to ban children and teenagers from social media, she was surprised some products could identify a person’s age to the month – but she still doubts it will work. “People are always going to find a way to get past it,” said the…

The post Teen social media ban faces a new wildcard: teenagers appeared first on InnovationAus.com.

This post was originally published on InnovationAus.com.
June 19, 2025

Southeast Asia in race for more gas to power AI demand

Energy majors are pouring money into gas exploration and production in Malaysia and Indonesia to meet rising power demand from growing populations and a proliferation of data centres in the region. The wave of investments come as European majors pivot back to more profitable conventional fuels as countries embark on different energy transition paths, while…

The post Southeast Asia in race for more gas to power AI demand appeared first on InnovationAus.com.

This post was originally published on InnovationAus.com.
June 18, 2025

Thiel Fellow Koki Mashita wants to reduce the chaos of cyclones

Koki Mashita was awarded a Thiel Fellowship in May, shortly after co-founding a startup building technology to reduce the severity and impact of extreme weather events like tropical cyclones. Mr Mashita and his colleagues at San Francisco-based Aeolus Labs have their sights initially on taking the wind out of tropical cyclones, to save lives and…

The post Thiel Fellow Koki Mashita wants to reduce the chaos of cyclones appeared first on InnovationAus.com.

This post was originally published on InnovationAus.com.
June 18, 2025

Malaysia boosts gas-fired power 50% to meet data centre demand

Malaysia is expected to add 6 to 8 gigawatts of gas-fired power by 2030 to address growing electricity consumption driven by demand from data centres, an industry official said. The country is expected to see the fastest surge in data centre power demand in southeast Asia, with its share of electricity consumed by data centres…

The post Malaysia boosts gas-fired power 50% to meet data centre demand appeared first on InnovationAus.com.

This post was originally published on InnovationAus.com.
June 18, 2025

China pushes digital yuan to drive multi-polar currency system

The head of China’s central bank pledged to expand the international use of the digital yuan and called for the development of a multi-polar global currency system, where several currencies dominate the world economy. China will establish an international operation centre for e-CNY in Shanghai, People’s Bank of China governor Pan Gongsheng said on Wednesday…

The post China pushes digital yuan to drive multi-polar currency system appeared first on InnovationAus.com.

This post was originally published on InnovationAus.com.
June 17, 2025

Spender calls for revenue-based tax on Big Tech

Federal teal independent MP Allegra Spender has called for the Albanese government to impose a revenue-based Digital Services Tax on Big Tech multinationals to protect the nation’s tax base. In a submission to the Productivity Commission’s ‘5 Pillars Productivity Inquiries’, Ms Spender said changes to the economy – especially through AI – needed to ensure…

The post Spender calls for revenue-based tax on Big Tech appeared first on InnovationAus.com.

This post was originally published on InnovationAus.com.
June 17, 2025

European defence awakening reignites 5G development effort

The Swedish Armed Forces on Tuesday joined Telia and Ericsson’s 5G innovation program to strengthen military communications, logistics, security and support interoperability within the NATO alliance. Telecom operator Telia and mobile gear maker Ericsson partnered in 2023 to start the NorthStar 5G innovation program to experiment on the latest 5G technologies and had focused on…

The post European defence awakening reignites 5G development effort appeared first on InnovationAus.com.

This post was originally published on InnovationAus.com.
June 16, 2025

Australia is at a ‘fork in the road’ on science: CSIRO chief

CSIRO chief executive Doug Hilton says a combination of poor productivity performance, the US’ retreat from science and alarming changes in geopolitical circumstances has brought Australia to a “fork in the road” moment. He has also welcomed the Treasurer Jim Chalmers’ second term focus on productivity, but says it presents the government with some stark…

The post Australia is at a ‘fork in the road’ on science: CSIRO chief appeared first on InnovationAus.com.

This post was originally published on InnovationAus.com.
June 16, 2025

Nvidia’s pitch for ‘sovereign AI’ starts to resonate outside US

Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang has been pitching the idea of ‘sovereign AI’ since 2023. Europe is now starting to listen and act. The concept is based on the idea that the language, knowledge, history and culture of each region are different, and every nation needs to develop and own its AI. Last week, the…

The post Nvidia’s pitch for ‘sovereign AI’ starts to resonate outside US appeared first on InnovationAus.com.

This post was originally published on InnovationAus.com.