Robotics and AI drive new manufacturing partnership between University of Canberra and OMRON

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Kate B.
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Stock image. Image credit: Shuo/stock.adobe.com

A new manufacturing-focused partnership between the University of Canberra and OMRON Automation and Robotics Oceania aims to strengthen Australia’s capabilities in robotics, artificial intelligence (AI) and digital manufacturing, following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to formalise collaboration on workforce development and industrial innovation.

The agreement brings together the university and the industrial automation company to expand joint work in robotics, AI, digital twin technologies and advanced manufacturing, with both organisations framing the initiative as a step toward building a “future-ready” workforce for increasingly automated industries. 

It also builds on an existing collaboration, with OMRON technologies already integrated into the University of Canberra’s Collaborative Robotics Lab.

University leaders said the partnership would help position Canberra as a growing centre for intelligent systems and advanced manufacturing research. 

Vice-Chancellor and President Professor The Honourable Bill Shorten said the city’s ecosystem of research, government proximity and industry collaboration placed it in a strong position to lead in robotics innovation.

“With the powerful combination of research capability, government proximity and industry collaboration, Canberra is uniquely positioned to become the country’s heartland for robotics and systems innovation,” Shorten said.

He added that the collaboration with OMRON reflects a shared objective to prepare students for future industrial needs. “UC’s partnership with OMRON is built on a shared vision of developing a future-ready workforce, while advancing the technologies that will shape the future of manufacturing, logistics and automation,” he said.

OMRON Automation and Robotics Oceania managing director Henry Zhou said the agreement reflects the company’s long-term commitment to supporting Australia’s advanced manufacturing capability and skills pipeline.

“OMRON is proud to partner with the University of Canberra to help bridge industry and academia in areas that are critical to Australia’s future competitiveness,” Zhou said. “This collaboration brings together advanced robotics, AI, automation and digital twin technologies to help develop practical innovation pathways from research and prototyping through to industrial deployment.”

He added that workforce development is central to the partnership as manufacturing becomes increasingly digitised. “As advanced manufacturing rapidly evolves, partnerships like this are essential to building a future-ready workforce with the practical skills needed for increasingly digital and automated industries.”

The Embassy of Japan in Australia also welcomed the collaboration, with First Secretary and Science Attaché Shin Takakusagi highlighting the broader international dimension of the initiative.

“The partnership between the University of Canberra and OMRON represents an excellent example of how Japanese technology and Australian research institutions can work together to drive innovation and industrial transformation,” Takakusagi said.

“We look forward to seeing this partnership contribute to the future of advanced manufacturing, AI and robotics collaboration between Japan and Australia.”

Under the three-year MoU, both organisations will collaborate on robotics research, workforce training and applied innovation projects, with a focus on translating emerging technologies into manufacturing and logistics applications.

Professor Damith Herath, Founding Director of the Collaborative Robotics Lab, said the partnership is already generating industry-linked research opportunities.

“The initial focus will be on robotics, AI, automation for logistics and warehousing, and digital twin-enabled industrial systems, with the longer-term vision of establishing a jointly supported innovation hub within UC’s Collaborative Robotics Lab,” Herath said.

OMRON’s Head of Robotics, Luat Nguyen, said the collaboration will also provide students with direct exposure to industrial systems used in modern manufacturing environments.

“Through this partnership, students and researchers will gain hands-on access to industrial robotics, autonomous mobile robots, machine automation systems and digital twin environments that closely mirror modern manufacturing operations,” Nguyen said.

“By combining academic research with practical industrial technology, we can help accelerate innovation while building workforce capability for Australia’s rapidly evolving automation sector.”

According to OMRON, the partnership is also expected to influence curriculum development and expand student opportunities, including internships and work-integrated learning placements, as both organisations seek to align education more closely with the demands of advanced manufacturing industries.

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CSIRO launches edge AI system to speed up real-time robotics learning

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Kate B.
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CSIRO's new AI infrastructure, Vetra, sits alongside Australia’s largest robotics research facility. Image credit: CSIRO

CSIRO has launched new artificial intelligence infrastructure designed to bring high-performance computing closer to where data is generated, supporting real-time learning for robots and other physical AI systems as demand grows for faster, on-site processing.

The system, named Vetra and based at CSIRO’s Queensland Centre for Advanced Technologies in Pullenvale, is intended to support “edge AI” applications by enabling processing directly alongside robots and sensors rather than relying solely on remote cloud systems.

CSIRO said the shift reflects growing use of AI in physical environments where speed and reliability are critical. “AI is rapidly moving beyond digital systems into the physical world, including robots, infrastructure, sensing and safety critical environments,” said Dr Liming Zhu, Director of CSIRO’s Data61.

He said Vetra is designed to provide “sovereign, trusted AI computing at the edge,” allowing systems to process and respond to data in real time. 

“Vetra enables real-time physical AI research by bringing high performance computing to the edge, where proximity to data allows systems to respond, learn and operate safely in complex environments in ways that are not possible with cloud only or distant data centre approaches,” Dr Zhu said.

CSIRO said Vetra operates alongside its larger supercomputing systems in Canberra as part of an “edge-core-cloud” model, where immediate processing is handled locally before data is sent for deeper analysis. Dr Peyman Moghadam, Head of CSIRO’s Embodied AI Cluster, said this approach is essential for robotics development in real-world environments.

“Robots and physical AI systems need to keep learning from the physical world, not just from internet datasets or simulations,” Dr Moghadam said. “Vetra gives us the missing edge layer for this workflow, helping turn real-world robotics data into better, safer and more adaptable AI systems.”

The infrastructure has also been designed with energy efficiency in mind, using carbon dioxide-based cooling and closed-loop liquid cooling systems to reduce reliance on water-intensive methods. 

CSIRO said this approach significantly reduces environmental impact, with the system expected to save about 225 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions annually, equivalent to removing around 50 cars from Queensland roads each year.

CSIRO Chief Technology Officer Angus Macoustra said sustainability was a core design consideration. “High-performance AI systems generate a lot of heat in dense, enclosed spaces. Vetra shows how advanced technology can be delivered in a way that significantly reduces water use and emissions,” he said.

Vetra includes 48 high-performance graphics processing units and was developed with support from Australian small and medium-sized businesses, including Oper8 Global and XENON, alongside international technology partners.

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Australia urged to invest in AI to secure productivity gains, says UNSW

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Kate B.
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Artificial intelligence could play a decisive role in lifting Australia’s future living standards, but only if the country takes a strategic approach to investment and control, according to the UNSW AI Institute.

Dr Sue Keay, Director of the UNSW AI Institute, said productivity growth remains closely linked to quality of life and that artificial intelligence may be a key driver in reversing stagnation in efficiency gains.

“Productivity can be directly linked to our standards of living. And so typically if you start to see productivity stagnating, then that can influence how much we can afford to buy from other countries and generally how comfortable we feel with the wage that we’re all receiving,” Dr Keay said.

She said there are limits to how much productivity can be improved through human effort alone, noting that most historical gains have come from technology rather than labour inputs.

“There’s a limit to how much you can improve a country’s productivity just through labour productivity alone, because I’m sure people probably don’t feel that they can work that much harder than they currently are,” she said.

“The main way that we’ve seen a lot of productivity improvements in the past has been related to technological advances.”

Speaking on UNSW’s Engineering the Future podcast, Dr Keay said artificial intelligence could help automate repetitive tasks, improve operational efficiency and support decision-making across both public and private sectors. She also said the technology may assist in addressing labour shortages by enabling organisations to operate with fewer constraints.

“The opportunity with artificial intelligence is that both at an individual level and at a company and governmental level, they can be applied across a whole range of functions,” she said.

“If you can start to scale a lot of those solutions and in particular areas where we find it difficult to find people to do work, then that’s obviously an advantage.”

However, she cautioned that Australia risks missing out on the economic benefits if it does not actively engage with the technology’s development and adoption.

“It really isn’t an option for us to just bury our heads in the sand and hope that this technological change won’t impact on us. We have to figure out how we can harness the benefits,” she said.

Dr Keay also raised concerns that artificial intelligence could function as an “extractive” industry if value creation remains concentrated offshore, with much of the technology developed and monetised by overseas companies.

“The people who are leading the development of these tools and making all of the profits from them are not Australian companies,” she said.

She noted that Australia currently relies heavily on imported AI technologies, particularly from the United States, and warned this could have longer-term economic implications if not addressed.

“We are purchasing most of our artificial intelligence, particularly from the US, and yet those companies we know tend to pay very little tax here in Australia,” she said.

“That will have devastating consequences unless we find ways to either develop alternatives, and really invest in Australian AI as a competitive advantage to make sure that we are generating Australian tax-paying companies to support our workforce.”

Dr Keay also highlighted data sovereignty as a key factor in ensuring Australia can fully benefit from artificial intelligence development, arguing that greater control over data could enable the creation of locally relevant AI systems.

“If we have more control of our data, then that lends itself for us to be able to build our own AI-specific models that are beneficial to us and not necessarily to anyone else,” she said.

She added that Australia should be cautious about allowing unrestricted data flows without safeguards, warning of potential consequences for national autonomy.

“We can’t be powerless or give up our agency to other countries unless we’re prepared to potentially lose our sovereignty.”

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90% of manufacturers consider digital transformation as baseline requirement – global survey

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Kate B.
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A shift is occurring in the global industrial sector as manufacturers move away from small-scale experimentation and focus on deploying capabilities across entire operations, according to Rockwell Automation’s 11th annual “State of Smart Manufacturing” report.

The global survey, which involved more than 1,500 manufacturers across 17 countries, found that manufacturers are no longer debating the merits of adopting digital technologies. Instead, executive focus has shifted to the execution, scaling, and delivery of measurable value from these investments. 

This transition marks a significant inflection point for the sector, with fewer organisations operating in temporary pilot phases and a clear majority deploying smart capabilities directly into daily operations, Rockwell explained.

Today, nearly six in 10 manufacturers report that they actively use smart manufacturing technologies to support their day-to-day operations. Meanwhile, only 18% of surveyed organisations remain in the pilot testing phase.

Blake Moret, chairman and CEO of Rockwell Automation, noted that manufacturers are currently facing more complexity and pressure than at any point in the past decade.

“What stands out in this year’s research is not just the challenges, but how leaders are responding – by making digital transformation a core operating priority. The organisations that are seeing results are those that connect technology, people and processes to turn insight into better decisions, stronger performance and greater resilience.”

Currently, 34% of manufacturing operations are augmented by AI, which supports critical factory functions, including quality control, cybersecurity, and process optimisation.

Looking ahead, manufacturers project that more than half of all operations will be supported by AI capabilities by 2030.

At the same time, the study found that increased connectivity has brought heightened security challenges. According to the survey, 46% experienced at least one cyber incident within the past year.

This rising exposure, driven by increasingly connected and autonomous systems, means that secure, integrated IT/OT architectures have become foundational requirements for safely scaling AI and advanced automation. 

To view the complete 2026 State of Smart Manufacturing report, visit rockwellautomation.com.

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Red Dot Design Award recognises Gigabyte’s AI products

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Julianne G.
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GIGABYTE Wins Red Dot Design Award Across Its AI Product Lineup (PRNewsfoto/GIGABYTE)

Computer brand Gigabyte has announced that several products from its AI-powered lineup have received recognition from the Red Dot Design Award across graphics card, motherboard, and laptop categories.

Among the recognised products is the AORUS GeForce RTX 5090 INFINITY graphics card, which features Gigabyte’s new WINDFORCE Hyperburst cooling system. The cooling design incorporates a double flow-through structure that allows air to pass through both sides of the backplate.

The product includes an Overdrive Fan, which operates on a separate control curve and activates during intensive workloads to increase airflow. These features help the RTX 5090 maintain performance during AI processing tasks and high-end gaming, according to Gigabyte.

The company’s AORUS 5060 Ti AI Box also received an award for its capability to deliver desktop-class performance in a compact, portable form. The graphics card is designed to provide additional computing power to laptops for AI workloads, design applications, and gaming. GIGABYTE positions it as an entry point to its broader AI TOP edge computing product range.

Several motherboards in the X870 series were recognised as well.

The X870 AORUS STEALTH ICE includes a feature called D5 Bionic Corsa, which enables one-click DDR5 acceleration, simplifying high-speed memory performance and lowering the barrier to advanced tuning.

Three other models—the X870E AORUS XTREME X3D AI TOP, X870E AORUS MASTER X3D ICE, and X870E AERO X3D WOOD—incorporate X3D Turbo Mode 2.0, an automated overclocking system that uses AI to make processor adjustments in real time.

On the laptop side, the GIGABYTE AERO X16 Copilot+ PC and GIGABYTE GAMING A16 PRO both feature GiMATE, the company’s AI assistant software. The software consolidates multiple AI functions into a single interface. Extended versions called GiMATE Creator and Coder are designed for creative and professional applications.

For more information on Gigabyte’s award-winning products, visit gigabyte.com.

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Fujitsu, Carnegie Mellon partner in launching new physical AI research centre

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Kate B.
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Fujitsu and Carnegie Mellon University have jointly established a collaborative facility that will serve as a global research hub for developing and implementing physical AI technologies across various industries.

The new Fujitsu-Carnegie Mellon Physical AI Research Center will host a collaboration between academic research and industrial applications to develop functional physical AI technology.

Physical AI refers to artificial intelligence systems capable of operating in physical spaces and interacting with people and their surroundings.

The technology is anticipated to help address major societal issues, including productivity, labour shortages and safety enhancement. Potential applications span multiple sectors, including manufacturing, logistics, construction, infrastructure, and healthcare.

The research centre brings together faculty members from various Carnegie Mellon departments, including robotics, machine learning, language technologies, human-computer interaction, electrical and computer engineering, civil and environmental engineering, and philosophy. 

These academics will work directly with Fujitsu’s scientists, engineers, and technicians to develop physical AI systems designed to solve practical challenges.

The collaboration focuses on several key areas: action generation and learning, spatial perception and environmental understanding, multi-robot coordination and optimisation, human-robot collaboration, and the integration of simulation with real-world environments.

The centre will operate from Carnegie Mellon’s Robotics Innovation Center – a 14,000-sqm facility at Hazelwood Green in Pittsburgh that opened in February this year.

“At this research centre, Fujitsu will create new value through the convergence of AI, computing, networking, and robotics, and accelerate the societal implementation of reliable physical AI,” said Vivek Mahajan, corporate executive officer and corporate vice president at Fujitsu.

Mahajan added that the company will expand its research scope to areas supporting social infrastructure and contribute to building a sustainable society where humans and robots coexist and collaborate.

“The Fujitsu-Carnegie Mellon Physical AI Research Center builds on CMU’s focus on developing AI and robotics systems to tackle real-world problems and the university’s collaboration with industry to put those innovations into practice and inspire what’s next. Physical AI will fuel the machines of tomorrow, allowing for competent decision-making, enhanced efficiency, greater safety, and, perhaps most importantly, trust to work alongside humans in critical fields. Carnegie Mellon is excited to have Fujitsu as our partner to continue to lead in physical AI,” said Martial Hebert, dean and university professor of robotics at Carnegie Mellon’s School of Computer Science.

In their joint announcement, both organisations said they will jointly advance research and development of core technologies for physical AI while promoting human-robot collaboration and contributing to the development of a sustainable and resilient society.

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Manufacturing breakthrough dives deep with Australia’s first underwater 3D printing system

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Kate B.
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Image credit: LUYTEN 3D

Australian manufacturing company LUYTEN 3D, in collaboration with researchers from the University of Wollongong (UOW), has unveiled what they describe as Australia’s first submerged 3D concrete printing system alongside a world-first accelerator-free underwater concrete formulation.

According to LUYTEN 3D and UOW, the development centres on a “single-mix” concrete designed to remain stable and buildable underwater without the need for chemical accelerators, marking a departure from conventional marine construction methods that typically rely on staged or chemically assisted processes.

In an exclusive interview with Australian Manufacturing, LUYTEN 3D co-founder and chief executive Ahmed Mahil said the project required addressing multiple constraints that have traditionally limited underwater construction applications.

Mahil said underwater additive manufacturing had long been constrained by a combination of physical and engineering challenges.

“Underwater additive manufacturing presents three core constraints: hydrostatic pressure, material washout, and robotic stability in a fluid environment,” Mahil said. 

“The breakthrough was not a single invention, but the integration of material rheology, robotic control, and deployment architecture into one coherent system.”

He said traditional concrete tends to disperse when placed underwater, while robotic systems must contend with reduced visibility, resistance, and positional instability. The collaboration with UOW, he said, focused on addressing these issues simultaneously through coordinated material and systems engineering.

Shift toward digital fabrication

LUYTEN 3D said the accelerator-free formulation could significantly alter established workflows in marine construction, where conventional approaches often rely on cofferdams, prefabricated components, and chemical setting agents.

Mahil said the system simplifies those processes by enabling direct, on-site extrusion of concrete structures underwater.

“It allows reduced staging infrastructure, fewer chemical dependencies, and greater process predictability,” he said. “In manufacturing terms, it moves underwater construction from a reactive containment model to a controlled digital fabrication model.”

The company and UOW researchers said the approach extends additive manufacturing techniques into subsea environments that have historically required complex, resource-intensive engineering solutions.

Implications for defence and infrastructure

LUYTEN 3D and UOW indicated the technology is being assessed for potential use across defence, ports, offshore energy, and coastal infrastructure applications, including submerged structures and repair works.

Mahil said the ability to manufacture directly underwater could reshape how large-scale marine infrastructure is delivered.

“We will see a shift from transporting large prefabricated marine components toward digital, on-demand, in-situ fabrication,” he said.

He added that such an approach could potentially reduce repair timelines, lower reliance on dry-docking, and improve operational continuity for critical maritime infrastructure.

Commercial readiness and scalability

LUYTEN 3D said the system has progressed beyond laboratory validation and is now in a controlled demonstration phase, with engagement underway with regulators and stakeholders in the defence and ports sectors.

Mahil said scalability would not be a limiting factor for the technology, pointing to the company’s existing large-scale additive manufacturing capability.

“Scalability is not a constraint,” he said. “Commercial pilots are the logical next step.”

Supply chain and efficiency considerations

The company also said the technology could have broader implications for supply chain efficiency in marine construction by enabling more localised, on-site production.

Mahil said reducing reliance on transported prefabricated components could lower logistics complexity and associated emissions.

“Efficiency in additive manufacturing is not just about material savings—it is about compressing complexity,” he said.

Broader applications in extreme environments

Beyond marine infrastructure, LUYTEN 3D and UOW suggested the research may have applications in other extreme or remote environments where traditional construction methods are constrained.

Mahil said systems designed for underwater deployment could inform broader manufacturing approaches in challenging settings.

“Extreme environments reward systems that are self-contained, modular, and digitally controlled,” he said, pointing to potential applications in disaster response, remote infrastructure development, and future space-related construction concepts.

This article contains information provided by LUYTEN 3D and is intended for general use only. It does not take into account your personal, professional, or business circumstances. 

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How organisations can prepare for the next wave of AI and automation

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Press Contribute
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Stock image. Image credit: Shuo/stock.adobe.com
 Article by  Giovanni Forero, Konica Minolta Australia's senior intelligent information management (IIM) consultant

The next wave of automation is being shaped by agentic AI and the orchestration of multiple AI models across systems, data sources, and business environments. 

These capabilities can support the automation of routine tasks and more complex end-to-end processes, often alongside technologies across such as robotic process automation (RPA) and large language models (LLMs). As this approach gains traction, organisations will need to prepare for changes in how work is coordinated, how information is managed, and how regulatory obligations are met. As organisations meet the new wave of automation, information governance will play an important role in helping organisations adopt these technologies in a way that is effective, accountable, sustainable and well managed.

Automation readiness depends on the quality, accuracy and integrity of the information environment into which these technologies are introduced. For many organisations across all sectors, the question remains the same: it’s not about when automation will be adopted, but whether the organisation is ready to support it. Information sits at the centre of this shift. Every operational process relies on how information is captured, organised, and accessed. If information is inconsistent or difficult to locate, automation inherits those problems and makes them more visible. That is why organisations must first examine must first examine how information and data is maintained, organised, and transported across teams and systems, and whether those pathways are structured enough for intelligent tools to use reliably, according to Konica Minolta Australia.

Giovanni Forero, Senior Intelligent Information Management (IIM) Consultant, Konica Minolta Australia, said, “Every organisation operates through the exchange of information. Company records, production data, supplier documentation, financial reports, internal knowledge, and correspondence all form part of that environment. Agentic AI and the orchestration of multiple AI models, automating technologies and environments do not change this dynamic; however, it increases the need for understanding on how information flows through the organisation, how it is captured, stored, indexed, classified, how long it is kept, and how it is accessed. The organisations that prepare well are the ones that recognise information quality is the foundation on which automation must sit.”

Aligning technology with an information framework

Many organisations have trialled automation in isolated parts of its workflows; however, these efforts often take place without a broader plan. Without alignment between technology and the organisation’s information framework, automated tools improve specific tasks while leaving systemic issues unaddressed, or worse, increasing the risk and exposure of the organisation. A strategic approach around governance ensures automation not only introduces efficiencies but strengthens the underlying environment by adhering to information governance rather than bypassing it.

Organisations in Australia are also facing the impact of talent losses and skills gaps following long-serving staff, whose knowledge has guided processes for decades, retiring or changing industries. As this happens, organisations risk losing context, history, and decision-making insight that cannot be easily reconstructed from formal documents alone. A well-defined information governance and a thorough strategy for knowledge transfer that involves AI codifying and categorising dark data and tacit knowledge, in combination with Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) to enhance the output and context of LLMs, can be an extremely beneficial strategy to reuse knowledge that is traditionally lost to an organisation.

Giovanni Forero said, “Much of an organisation’s valuable knowledge resides within individuals or scattered in informal files that are difficult to locate or interpret. When the key individuals holding this information leave, the organisation risks losing more than just documents; it loses critical context and expertise. AI, RAG and a succession plan can help recover this material by identifying links between information, interpreting meaning, and making content searchable and usable. However, to gain this benefit, organisations need to manage the information lifecycle from ingestion to disposition, ensuring it can be processed reliably.”

Guidance concerning the use of AI is still developing. However, privacy obligations, safety considerations, and reporting standards are already well-established in many industries. Agentic AI and the orchestration of multiple agents automating cross-functional technologies and environments will eventually fall under more specific regulatory scrutiny; however, current legislation, such as the Privacy Act 1988 and ISO 27001 and ISO 42001 frameworks, provide constraints on how information is secured and managed. Organisations that have prioritised robust information governance will be well-placed to be compliant with future standards.

Agentic AI systems can review large volumes of data for irregularities, flag potential issues, and support decision-making when human oversight is required. This is particularly relevant in settings where early identification of risk is critical, such as monitoring patterns in student behaviour or identifying production anomalies in manufacturing environments.

Preparing for agentic AI and orchestration

Preparing for agentic AI and orchestration also requires cultural alignment, with clear communication about responsibilities, access, and oversight across the whole organisation. In other words, a proper information management framework. When people understand how information should be handled and why consistency matters, the introduction of agentic AI becomes more reliable and predictable.

Giovanni Forero said, “Agentic AI and the orchestration of multiple agents automating cross-functional technologies and environments is beginning to operate in areas that were previously handled entirely by humans. That shift requires careful planning. Organisations need controlled testing environments, detailed evaluation of high-risk scenarios, and transparency around how automated decisions are produced. Human oversight or a human in the loop (HITL) is essential. It is not about replacing judgement but ensuring that AI agents follow defined boundaries and produce results that can be accounted for.”

Long-term preparation requires ongoing assessment rather than a single project. As agentic AI capabilities expand, organisations must routinely review their information structures, update governance practices, and refine the way information is shared across teams. This continuous approach helps prevent outdated processes and data from undermining emerging technologies. 

The next wave of automation driven by agentic AI and the orchestration of multiple AI agents across technologies and environments will reward organisations that approach information management with intent and discipline, placing the discipline at the centre of the information ecosystem. When information is reliable and well-governed, intelligent systems become more effective and people can work with greater confidence. This combination of structured information and responsible AI initiatives will set the direction for how Australian organisations progress successfully in the years ahead.

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Good Design Australia opens entries for 2026 awards

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Kate B.
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Image supplied by Good Design Australia. 
Sponsored content by Good Design Australia

For more than six decades, Good Design Australia has celebrated the power of design to shape innovation, industry, and everyday life. Its flagship program, the Australian Good Design Awards, recognises projects that show how thoughtful design can enhance products, services, systems, and communities.

With entries now open for the 2026 awards, designers, innovators, and forward-thinking businesses across the country are invited to showcase their work under this year’s theme: “Design that Leads.” The organisation said the theme highlights how purposeful design can drive industry change, tackle complex challenges, and deliver measurable social, environmental, and commercial impact.

“Design leadership isn’t about size, scale, or budget,” said Rachel Wye, managing director of Good Design Australia. “It’s about clarity of purpose and the courage to act. Each year, the projects we celebrate show how design can influence behaviour, spark innovation, strengthen communities, and create real value.”

A platform for design-led innovation

Good Design Australia describes the Australian Good Design Awards as the nation’s highest level of independent design recognition, spanning categories including product design, architecture, engineering, digital innovation, service design, strategy and social impact.

According to the organisation, the awards aim to showcase work that not only demonstrates design excellence but also contributes to solving real-world challenges across industries and communities.

Wye said the diversity of projects recognised each year reflects the growing influence of design across the broader economy.

“Australian design continues to set benchmarks globally,” she said. “What unites award-winning work is impact — the ability to influence systems, improve experiences and respond responsibly to the challenges of our time.”

What past winners say

Previous winners note that the program is distinguished by its focus on the wider influence of design on both industry and society.

Tom Loefler, CEO of Hullbot and joint recipient of the 2025 Australian Good Design Award of the Year, said the awards place a strong emphasis on purpose.

“What sets the Australian Good Design Awards apart is their genuine focus on purpose and impact — it’s not just about aesthetics or innovation in isolation, it’s about how design improves lives, industries, and the planet,” Loefler said.

Other winners highlight the program’s credibility across the design and business communities.

“The Australian Good Design Awards carry serious industry credibility — they are respected by peers, collaborators and partners we deeply admire, which makes this recognition especially meaningful,” said Soren Luckins of Buro North, whose team received the 2025 Best in Class award for Sydney Metro Central Station – Customer Centred Design.

Memduh Guney of ResMed Limited, a 2025 Gold Award recipient, said the awards acknowledge the complexity behind many modern design projects.

“It is clear that Good Design Australia understands the realities of developing products that must balance human needs, technical constraints, and regulatory responsibility,” Guney said.

From a business perspective, recognition can also support brand credibility, according to Patryc Lampasi of Harbour.

“Having the ‘Good Design Winner’ title across our email signatures, website and collateral has been invaluable — it’s a shorthand for quality and a trusted endorsement within the industry,” Lampasi said.

Celebrating diverse design solutions

Good Design Australia points to the diversity of recent winners as evidence of the wide influence of design. In 2025, the program’s top honour — the Australian Good Design Award of the Year — was awarded to two projects: Deadly Democracy, a platform designed to support First Nations young leaders engaging in Australia’s democratic process, and Hullbot, a robotic hull-cleaning system for boats.

According to the organisation, projects such as these demonstrate how design can address both social and technological challenges while delivering practical outcomes.

Key dates for the 2026 awards

Good Design Australia has confirmed the following key dates for this year’s program:

  • Early bird entry deadline: 20 March 2026
  • Final entries close: 24 April 2026
  • Awards ceremony: 9 October 2026, Sydney

For full information on categories, judging standards, deadlines, fees, and the benefits for winners, visit the Australian Good Design Awards website. 

This article contains information provided by Good Design Australia and is intended for general use only. It does not take into account your personal, professional, or business circumstances. 

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Report: AI implementation falls short as APAC execs demand measurable ROI

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Julianne G.
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Stock image. Image credit: Alex/stock.adobe.com

Technology leaders across Australia and the Asia-Pacific region are under growing pressure to demonstrate concrete returns on their artificial intelligence and digital investments, according to a new report from Info-Tech Research Group.

The report, titled CIO Priorities 2026, draws from global survey data, diagnostic assessments, and interviews with executives to identify the top priorities shaping IT leadership this year.

The findings show that simply adopting new technologies is no longer enough – business leaders now expect measurable outcomes from these investments.

“The expectation across APAC has shifted. CIOs are no longer being asked whether they are investing in AI, but whether that investment is delivering measurable value for the business,” said George Khreish, managing partner at Info-Tech Research Group, APAC. 

“Financial discipline and risk governance cannot be treated as separate conversations from AI strategy. Leaders who can bring all three into alignment will be the ones who earn sustained executive confidence.”

This shift comes as APAC companies navigate a challenging business landscape shaped by evolving data protection policies, industry-specific regulatory demands, and growing cybersecurity threats.

The report also identified five priorities that will define IT leadership in 2026. First, organisations must maximise their AI investments by focusing on value creation. While most CIOs expect to invest in advanced AI in 2026, there is a significant gap between the importance of enterprise architecture and its effectiveness. Realising AI’s value requires redesigning operational models and better aligning people, processes and governance systems, the report emphasised.

The Info-Tech report pointed to proactive risk management as the second priority, as CIOs rank AI and emerging technologies as their top disruptors, followed by cybersecurity incidents and regulatory challenges.

Third, the report recommends a balanced approach where subject matter experts in different departments take ownership of their data, while the organisation maintains consistent standards across the company. This structure helps prepare businesses for AI implementation and allows insights to be shared across departments without compromising regulatory compliance or management control.

The survey found that technology leaders who invest in AI-powered security tools report much greater confidence in their ability to detect and counter advanced attacks.

However, the report warns against relying solely on automated systems. Effective cybersecurity still requires human monitoring, clear governance policies, and proper oversight to avoid dangerous over-dependence on AI systems.

Finally, the study reveals a significant gap in budget expectations between technology leaders and other executives. While 34% of CIOs anticipate significant increases in their IT budgets, only 27% of other executives share this optimistic outlook. This misalignment highlights the need for more rigorous IT financial management, including better tracking of technology costs, increased transparency, and funding models based on demonstrated value.

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