Exclusive: Deepak Ramanathan from SAS discusses why Australia cannot delay improving its SEO.

Australia risks falling behind in the global race to harness artificial intelligence, according to Deepak Ramanathan, Vice President of Global Technology Practice at SAS. He emphasised the need for governments and enterprises in the region to transition swiftly from hype to tangible outcomes to fully leverage AI’s potential. Upskilling is crucial, as governments recognise AI’s power and are concerned about its impact on citizens and corporate practices. Ramanathan noted that while Generative AI gained traction in 2023, many organisations viewed it merely as a productivity tool rather than a transformative solution for entire business processes. The anticipated shift towards “agentic AI” in 2025 will require integrating curated large language models into existing workflows, prompting critical discussions about adaptation versus replacement.

Australia’s struggle with declining productivity highlights the urgency for AI adoption, which could provide a pathway to improvement if implemented responsibly. Ramanathan pointed out that bureaucratic hurdles and reputational risks hinder government adoption of AI technologies. He warned that delaying action is not a viable option, as countries already retooling their economies around AI will leave Australia behind. To embrace AI effectively, Ramanathan argued for a focus on governance alongside innovation. He advocated for robust regulations to mitigate potential risks associated with large language models, emphasising the importance of the analytics lifecycle model to ensure responsible AI development and the rapid detection of bias in data. 

Categories: AI Adoption Challenges, Importance of Skilling, Responsible AI Governance 

Tags: Australia, Artificial Intelligence, Skilling, Generative AI, Productivity, Governance, Regulation, Bureaucracy, Bias, Innovation