AI adoption in Australian businesses for 2025 Q1
The National AI Centre (NAIC)’s AI Adoption Tracker monitors how SMEs use and view AI. This month, we’re pleased to launch a new responsible AI dashboard to tracker.
The tracker contains data we gather via Fifth Quadrant, with 400 different businesses responding to survey questions each month. We’re looking to understand how SMEs are adopting AI, the opportunities and challenges they face, and the value it brings to their businesses.
We’ve summarised some key findings for January to March 2025 below. You can explore more trends and data through the interactive dashboards in the AI Adoption Tracker.
Please note we’ve rounded some statistics to make them easier to read.
Business outcomes
More businesses are reaping the benefits of using AI compared to last quarter.
The top 3 business outcomes they definitely agreed AI could help achieve are:
- faster access to accurate data to inform decision making (23%)
- enhanced engagement and response to marketing activities (20%)
- enhanced resource optimisation and productivity (18%).
However, challenges like the rapid pace of technological change, skills gaps and funding constraints remain significant barriers to adoption.
AI adoption by business size
Overall, the data indicates a positive trend in AI adoption. However, adoption varies significantly across industries.
Retail trade and health and education maintain their position as the leading sectors for AI adoption this quarter, with services and hospitality close behind.
The primary industries - construction, manufacturing, and agriculture - continue to show higher levels of unawareness around the value of adopting AI solutions.