An assessment of Australian AI efforts shows that geospatial data is one of the country’s strengths.

As Anthropic makes the news again following the US government’s imposition of a ban on foreign use of the company’s best models, Australian researchers have taken a long look at our country’s AI strengths and weaknesses.

The new report released by the Tech Policy Design Institute (TPDi), titled Expanding AI Sovereignty to AI Agency, delivers what the Institute is calling ‘Australia’s 2025 AI Assessment’ — a comprehensive, independent, evidence-based summary of Australia’s AI capabilities at the national level.

The TPDi says the report “broadens the conversation from AI Sovereignty to AI Agency, which is the power of a country to shape its AI future”.

Australia’s eight very high-agency AI strengths

After consulting with more than 250 experts, the TPDi measured Australia’s agency across 103 distinct AI capabilities and then mapped the findings against the Australian Government’s own 2025 National AI Plan.

It found that although Australia has emerging maturity in AI capabilities, the national picture is much stronger than has been previously reported.

According to the TPDi, Australia has very high agency in eight capabilities, high agency in another 58, and low agency in only two.

The eight very high-agency capabilities are:

• Strategic and critical minerals;
• Medical data;
• Geospatial data;
• Environment and resources data;
• Demographic data;
• Infrastructure data;
• Model development in computer vision; and
• International influence and norm-shaping.

“The data shows Australia is in a stronger position than we give ourselves credit for, we have firm foundations and significant potential to harness,” said Zoe Jay Hawkins, TPDi Co-Founder and lead author.

How Australia can leverage its strengths in AI

Of the eight capabilities in which Australia holds very high agency, TPDi says that two of them — geospatial data and international influence — are backed by significant commitments in the National AI Plan.

Hawkins says the evidence base shows where Australia should be focusing to better leverage other areas where it leads.

“For example, leveraging our potential as a regional data centre hub to help fund Australia’s clean-energy transition,” Hawkins said.

“Or using Australia’s unique wealth of critical minerals to secure our supply of the advanced AI chips required to power our future economy.”

“Or by leveraging Australia’s data assets, some of the richest in the world, to deliver better emergency management and health outcomes for all Australians.”

Where Australia should focus its AI efforts

Johanna Weaver, TPDi Co-Founder and Executive Director, said the “The debate about AI sovereignty has become trapped in a choice between complete self-sufficiency and complete dependence”.

“This is a false binary,” said Weaver.

“The reality is that the AI supply chain is a complex global web, every country relies on others.”

Rather, the report contends that no country can or should try to excel in all 103 AI capabilities.

“The assessment allows us to understand our strengths and more deliberately leverage them to fill our weaknesses,” added Hawkins.

“Australia has valuable cards in its hand. The opportunity now is to play them strategically — just like the Prime Minister has leveraged Australia’s gas reserves to secure diesel supply.”