How Australian SMEs Are Using AI (And What’s Holding Them Back)

In this interview, I chat with Steve Nuttall from Fifth Quadrant, who’s been tracking AI adoption among Australian small businesses for the past year. We unpack what the data is showing, including: * How many businesses are actually using AI (you might be surprised), & What’s holding others back, * And the practical ways AI is already making a difference for those who’ve embraced it. Steve also shares how his own team is using AI every day, plus a bunch of local startups doing great things in this space. See below for a full list of companies and resources mentioned. If you’re running a small business and feeling unsure where to start with AI, this one’s for you. This is a value-packed 20-minute interview. We cover a lot, so strap in and enjoy. Tools & Platforms Mentioned * ChatGPT – AI assistant for content, research & automation (https://chat.openai.com) * Perplexity – AI-powered research and answer engine (https://www.perplexity.ai) * Microsoft Copilot – AI features in Office & Microsoft 365 (https://copilot.microsoft.com) Companies & Startups * Fifth Quadrant – Steve’s research firm using AI in workflows (https://www.fifthquadrant.com.au) * Calld.ai – Sydney-based AI voice agents for research & cold calls (https://www.calld.ai) * Toothfairy.ai – Melbourne startup automating workflow and data tasks (https://www.toothfairy.ai) * Splose – AI-enhanced practice management for allied health professionals https://www.splose.com * Restoke – AI for hospitality & restaurant operations (https://www.restoke.ai) Education & Support * AI Adopt Centres – Four centres helping businesses implement AI (https://business.gov.au/expertise-and-advice/ai-adopt-centres) * TAFE NSW Free AI Courses – Entry-level AI education for SMEs (https://www.tafensw.edu.au) Chapters 00:00 Intro - and summary of what we will cover 06:58 Overview of Fifth Quadrant's research into Australian SMEs 09:27 Key insights and trends discovered 10:50 Barriers to AI Adoption in SMEs 14:27 Case Study: How Steve and Fifth Quadrant are adopting AI in their business 21:26 Case study: CALLD.ai voice agents for qualitative research 25:20 Advice for small businesses who are hesitant about AI 31:54 More case studies, including Splose and Restoke.ai 33:52 Support available for Australian SMEs 35:20 Steve's final thoughts and advice for small businesses 38:31 My way or the AI way Remix - courtsey of Mubert - 5 sec.mp3 #australiansmallbusiness #aiadoption #ai #aiforbusiness