Tech Mirror

Is Australia getting AI strategy right? Following the PM’s “AI In Australia’s Interests” speech on 15 July, much of the conversation has focused on data centres and ‘national standards’. But according to industrial AI leader Cori Stewart, that's not where Australia's biggest opportunity lies. In this episode of Tech Mirror, Johanna Weaver speaks with Cori, the CEO of ARM Hub, about why Australia should focus on industrial AI, how Australian AI is already transforming manufacturing, healthcare, mining and agriculture, and what it will take to build the high-value industries that can power Australia's future prosperity. From steel mills and medical devices to South Korea’s manufacturing success, this is a conversation about moving beyond hype and putting AI to work in the industries that will create Australia’s future jobs, capability and prosperity.

Links

Cori’s article in Innovation Aus: Australia is chasing the wrong link of AI. 

AI In Australia’s Interests | Prime Minister of Australia

ARM Hub

Tech Policy AI Agency Report | TPDI

For transcript and full show notes visit techpolicy.au/podcast

What would it take for Australia to build its own AI future? The Australian Prime Minister made a landmark speech on 15  July declaring that his government would shape Artificial Intelligence rather than be shaped by it. Just days before the speech, Australian AI company Maincode beta launched Matilda, an Australian-built AI platform. Johanna Weaver sits down with Maincode CEO Dave Lemphers to discuss Matilda, Australian-made AI, and the hard realities of creating a world-class technology company from Melbourne. From compute clusters to copyright, to national ambition, this is a conversation about building capability that lasts.

Links

AI In Australia’s Interests | Prime Minister of Australia

Meet Matilda, Australia’s answer to ChatGPT | Financial Review

Maincode

Maincode Builds An AI Factory for Australia with AMD | AMD

For transcript and full show notes visit techpolicy.au/podcast

In a world of AI, what does it mean to be human? In this episode of Tech Mirror, host Johanna Weaver speaks with one of Australia’s foremost ethicists, Simon Longstaff, from the Ethics Centre. Together, they make the case for ethics in the wider AI discourse. They discuss why Simon urges Australians to demand more than a social licence for AI arguing instead for a social compact. Johanna and Simon explore how concepts like purpose, trust, and accountability can help guide the responsible development of AI while confronting “just because we can do something with AI, should we?”

Links

Will AI be the risk we chose not to see? | The Ethics Centre

The Ethics Centre
https://ethics.org.au/

Australia’s AI Ethics Principles | Department of Industry, Science, and Resources https://www.industry.gov.au/publications/australias-ai-ethics-principles?utm_source=chatgpt.com

For transcript and full show notes visit techpolicy.au/podcast

With countries and tech stakeholders rapidly moving to claim AI in their interest, such as the US government’s move to restrict non-citizens' access to platforms like Claude, what does it mean for Australians to have control over their technological future? AI is becoming closely linked to Australia’s economy, security, and everyday life. It’s time to discuss what having AI Agency looks like now and into the future.

In this episode of Tech Mirror, host Johanna Weaver is joined by Tech Policy Design Institute co-founder and lead researcher Zoe Hawkins to unpack their latest report Expanding AI Sovereignty to AI Agency. Together, they explore why Australia needs to move beyond simplistic debates to uncover how Australia’s tech movement holds strategic advantages that build both leverage and resilience when global events expose geopolitical uncertainty.

Links:
Anthropic to disable its most advanced AI models after US order limiting foreign access | The Guardian

Tech Policy Design Institute – AI Agency Report
https://techpolicy.au/aiagency

Tech Policy Design Institute
https://techpolicy.au

Australia's National AI Plan
https://www.industry.gov.au/publications/national-ai-capability-plan

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) – AI
https://oecd.ai

Anthropic
https://www.anthropic.com

For transcript and full show notes visit techpolicy.au/podcast

The nature of work and jobs is being reshaped by artificial intelligence. Is it the building block to a worker utopia, or a more bleak, disruptive reality? In this episode of Tech Mirror, host Johanna Weaver sits down with Joseph Mitchell from the Australian Council of Trade Unions to unpack the opportunities, risks, and power dynamics brought on by the rollout of AI in workplaces around Australia. He argues that AI is being used increasingly to meet new efficiency benchmarks and worker surveillance. Johanna and Joseph ask, can the voice of unions, policy makers, and individuals shape what happens next, and will the future of work remain deeply human — even in an AI-driven world?   Links: Australian Council of Trade Unions: www.actu.org.au Encyclical Letter, Magnifica Humanitas, of His Holiness Pope Leo XiV, on safeguarding  the human person on the time of artificial intelligence: https://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiv/en/encyclicals/documents/20260515-magnifica-humanitas.html    Fair Work Commission: https://www.fwc.gov.au?utm_source National Employment Standards (Fair Work Ombudsman): https://www.fairwork.gov.au/employment-conditions/national-employment-standards Daron Acemoglu   MIT Economics: https://economics.mit.edu/people/faculty/daron-acemoglu
Building pro-worker artificial intelligence https://economics.mit.edu/sites/default/files/2026-03/Building%20Pro-Worker%20Artificial%20Intelligence.pdf 
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