Emerging technology and innovation

Influencing how Australia develops and uses emerging technology, from precision agriculture to AI to quantum computing.

Our focus

The Academy brings trusted and evidence-based perspectives to shape how Australia develops, advances and uses emerging technology for the benefit of all.

Our roadmaps and proposals to steer research, upgrade research infrastructure are critical in driving innovation, alongside strategies to integrate emerging technology across sectors, including defence, environment and energy. We lead national conversations on the impacts of new technology and inform policy with rigorous evidence-based advice.

Related submissions

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Commonwealth Government

Submission – Getting it right: Building AI infrastructure that works for Australia

The Academy calls for supercomputing investment, contributions from data centres and AI developers to research and skills, and mandatory incident reporting for high-risk AI agents.

Published on 09 October 2026

Parliamentary Committee inquiry

Submission – Joint Select Committee on artificial intelligence

The Academy calls for a 10-year computing strategy, AI skills for researchers, secure research data and public data contributions from data centres and AI developers.

Published on 23 September 2026

Commonwealth Government

Submission – ARC FAIR data policy

The Academy supports the ARC's draft 'FAIR data policy' but recommends clearer assessment, richer metadata and stronger safeguards for sensitive data and Indigenous data sovereignty.

Published on 23 September 2026

Parliamentary Committee inquiry

Submission – Inquiry into artificial intelligence and data centres

Australia's data centre boom should deliver value at home. The Academy calls for a research levy, researcher data rights, mandatory standards and national supercomputing investment.

Published on 01 September 2026

State or Territory Government

Submission – Inquiry into data centres

If data centres are to continue to be built on Australian shores, using Australian power, water and land, they must be delivering value back into the communities they are joining.

Published on 09 April 2026

Related publications

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Is Australian science ready for AI?

Exploring how artificial intelligence will reshape the policies, institutions, legal frameworks, funding models and cultural norms that underpin our national science ecosystem.

Published on 09 December 2025

Australian science, Australia's future: Science 2035

An investigation into Australia's future science capability needs reveals eight key areas with projected gaps.

Published on 04 September 2025

Australian science, Australia's future: Science 2035. Where do we want to be?

Bringing Australia's supercomputing up to speed

The Academy calls for strategic planning and targeted investment in next-generation high-performance computing and data (HPCD) infrastructure, including exascale computing – an essential capability of all modern economies.

Published on 18 February 2025

Bringing Australia's supercomputing up to speed – Facts sheet

The future computing needs of the Australian science sector

A brief on the future computing needs of the Australian science sector, calling for for a national strategy backed by at least one exascale capability.

Published on 20 February 2024

Bioscience 2030: educating Australia’s future bioscientists

Opportunities, challenges and essential skills for bioscience education in the next decade.

Published on 08 December 2023

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A graphic outline of Australia with stylised overlay of phone with AI on it, an old lady smiling, a solar panel and a hand holding a petri dish with bacteria growing on it

Fix these eight critical gaps to meet intergenerational challenges

The future outlined in the 'Intergenerational report 2026' (IGR) will be built from science capability that we are on track to lose.

22 September 2026

A graphic outline of Australia lit up in blue

To make AI work for Australia’s interests, we must invest in Australian science

The Academy welcomes new AI announcements but warns coordination isn't enough – Australia needs sovereign AI capability, built on R&D investment.

15 July 2026

Supercomputing investment welcomed but long-term certainty for research infrastructure needed

Facilities for climate modelling, coastal monitoring and advanced computing are essential parts of the nation’s decision-making machinery.

29 May 2026

International grants supercharging Australian research collaborations

Australian researchers tackling big challenges have received a total of $6.2 million in grants to deepen partnerships with international collaborators across priority technology areas.

05 May 2026

A woman sits on a couch surrounded by hands proffering laptops, phones, tablets and a megaphone. She appears overwhelmed and has her hands covering her ears.

The science of resilience: New insights on tackling mis- and disinformation

Investing in our physical and mental health is also an investment in our collective ability to resist harmful information, a new report reveals.

02 April 2026

Related projects

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Completed

AI in Science

The AI in Science project, delivered as a conference, aims to support Australia’s emerging early and mid-career STEM leaders in embracing the opportunities and challenges of rapid developments in AI.

Related events

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AI in science: the promise, perils and path forward – AI and our health

8 April 2025

Read more Register now

AI in science: the promise, perils and path forward – AI and our safety

14 October 2025

Read more Register now

AI in the practice of science and AI in the practice of law

20 October 2025

Read more Register now

Selby Fellowship lecture: Decoding fibroblast identity and function in vascular pathology

5 - 25 August 2026

Selby Fellow Professor Dr Judith Sluimer of Maastricht University will present Fellowship lectures across Australia during August.

AI in science: the promise, perils and path forward – AI and our environment

10 June 2025

Read more Register now

Emerging technology and innovation

Our focus

The Academy brings trusted and evidence-based perspectives to shape how Australia develops, advances and uses emerging technology for the benefit of all.

Related submissions

Submission – Getting it right: Building AI infrastructure that works for Australia

Submission – Joint Select Committee on artificial intelligence

Submission – ARC FAIR data policy

Submission – Inquiry into artificial intelligence and data centres

Submission – Inquiry into data centres

Related publications

Is Australian science ready for AI?

Australian science, Australia's future: Science 2035

Bringing Australia's supercomputing up to speed

The future computing needs of the Australian science sector

Bioscience 2030: educating Australia’s future bioscientists

Related articles

Fix these eight critical gaps to meet intergenerational challenges

To make AI work for Australia’s interests, we must invest in Australian science

Supercomputing investment welcomed but long-term certainty for research infrastructure needed

International grants supercharging Australian research collaborations

The science of resilience: New insights on tackling mis- and disinformation

Related projects

AI in Science

Related events

AI in science: the promise, perils and path forward – AI and our health

AI in science: the promise, perils and path forward – AI and our safety

AI in the practice of science and AI in the practice of law

Selby Fellowship lecture: Decoding fibroblast identity and function in vascular pathology

AI in science: the promise, perils and path forward – AI and our environment