Speakers 2025

A National Mission for Industrial Transformation

Australia is at a turning point. While global competitors race ahead in AI adoption, too many of our industrial businesses—especially SMEs—are stuck on the sidelines. Yet the opportunity is enormous: responsible use of AI and automation could add $115 billion to our GDP annually by 2030.
Today, I’ll share how we can drive Australia’s much needed productivity transformation—building next-gen AI-enabled enterprises, commercialising R&D and building globally competitive investible companies. This is not just about technology; it’s about national competitiveness, sovereign capability, and a future where Australian industry leads, not lags, in the AI age.

3 Key Learnings

1. Australia’s industrial transformation is a national challenge, not a niche opportunity – Strategic coordination, investment, and global supply chain integration are critical to securing Australia’s industrial future.

2. AI is essential for enterprise competitiveness – It enables businesses, including small and mid-sized businesses, to compete on a global scale; without it, they risk being left behind.

3. Robotics is the next frontier of industrial transformation – Australia must act now to position itself in the global Generative AI-enabled automation wave.

About Cori:

Professor Cori Stewart is the Founder and CEO of the Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing (ARM) Hub, Australia’s leading innovation centre for AI, robotics, and Industry 5.0 transformation. A recognised national leader in industrial innovation, Cori has spent over two decades shaping the future of advanced manufacturing through policy leadership, research commercialisation, and industry collaboration.
She serves on multiple national boards and government advisory committees and is a strategic advisor on sovereign capability, AI adoption, and technology-led productivity. Cori is passionate about building globally competitive Australian companies and ensuring inclusive, regionally distributed access to next-generation technologies.