#193 Helping businesses leverage the opportunity for AI adoption with Stela Solar, Director of the CSIRO’s National Artificial Intelligence Centre

Australia’s CSIRO has always been a hotbed of innovation and technology creativity, which is why it is a special privilege to speak to Stela Solar, the Director of the CSIRO’s National Artificial Intelligence Centre on this week’s podcast.

Solar, who spent over a decade working in global roles at Microsoft in the US prior to joining CSIRO in January, said that one of her key observations on coming to Australia is that we are enthusiastic adopters of technology – we’re a leading nation on cloud adoption – we currently run a little behind on AI adoption.

There are three areas where Australia can invest to start to narrow the game and realise the opportunity of AI adoption, Solar said: Addressing the skills shortage, broadening the investment scene beyond the US, and the development of “tech cities” where the population of the area is galvanised around technology.

Another big opportunity for AI in Australia, Solar added, was for the small and medium-sized business. Just 2% of Australian businesses are currently leveraging AI solutions. This is a low base, but it also means an enormous opportunity for businesses looking forward. In the podcast, Solar shares what that might look like.

Tune in for these insights and more from one of the foremost data thought leaders working in Australia.

Enjoy the show!

National Artificial Intelligence Agency - https://www.csiro.au/en/research/technology-space/ai/national-ai-centre

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“I think that's where there is a big opportunity for Australian businesses to think about how AI can help the core value and differentiation of their organization.”

- Stela Solar, Director of the CSIRO’s National Artificial Intelligence Centre

WHAT WE DISCUSSED

0:00 Introduction
08:26 AI adoption- Do you have any early hypotheses on areas that we could do better in?
12:19 What are some surprises or maybe some things that you didn't expect, coming into the role that you've discovered in your time so far?
14:53 It sounds like we're doing well from a research perspective from advancing the field and creating the was those innovations, then trying to take those innovations into different applications in different industries, areas like that. What have you seen in that space so far?
22:00 Any initial thoughts on what the new world could look like if we do focus on serving a large number of small to medium businesses?
27:52 Where do you think we can we can go from here with the next big opportunity for Australia to focus on when it comes to responsible AI?

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

• When it comes to AI, we're not actually leading we're a little bit behind the general momentum in the world.

• Tech Cities have a critical mass of people who have a common language, to help share ideas, and accelerate those ideas further.

• My experience so far, coming back to Australia has been when I have aI conversations with the person next to me in the real world, they typically aren't that deep in AI or technology. And quite often the conversation is at the base level of what does AI even mean?

• If those suppliers of technologies don't have a good answer on how AI can be connected, then that becomes a buying decision point for small and medium businesses. Is that the supply they want to use?

• Because there are data deserts, it means that there is a risk that our models and assumptions may not be accurate, or we may not even be able to make assumptions, because there are not insufficient data.

• I think that's my probably call to action for everyone who might view this video if you see a gap, you are empowered to fill it.

• My role at the National AI centre is to make every business in Australia successful with AI. It's also to make every Australian have an opportunity to be part of the AI momentum.

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