HowToRobot and Robotics Australia Group Launch AI Platform to Boost Automation
AutomationFinder.com.au connects Australian businesses with vetted robotics suppliers to bridge the national productivity gap.
HowToRobot and Robotics Australia Group have partnered to launch AutomationFinder.com.au, an AI-powered platform designed to accelerate the adoption of robotics across Australian industry. The initiative seeks to lower technical barriers for businesses struggling to integrate automation into their operations.
The platform allows companies to identify specific automation opportunities and use AI to generate project briefs ready for suppliers. To facilitate these transitions, AutomationFinder.com.au provides access to a global network of more than 20,000 vetted suppliers, including 500 based within Australia. The system's AI is informed by data from more than 600 existing automation projects worldwide to help users refine their requirements.
The Productivity Gap
This rollout comes at a critical time for Australian manufacturing, which is currently grappling with skilled workforce shortages and significant cost pressures. The sector's struggle is reflected in the nation's robot density: Australia currently averages 134 robots per 10,000 manufacturing employees, a figure that sits notably below the global average of 162.
Søren Peters, founder and CEO of HowToRobot, noted that most businesses lack the internal structure, bandwidth, and expertise required to move automation projects forward with the necessary confidence and speed. This lack of internal capacity often stalls innovation before it can begin.
Economic Implications
Bridging this gap is viewed as a macroeconomic necessity. The Australian government's National Robotics Strategy suggests that increasing automation could provide a massive boost to the economy, potentially adding between $170 billion and $600 billion annually to the national GDP by 2030.
By replacing the need for exhaustive, long-term internal engineering studies with AI-driven project maturation, the partnership aims to move businesses from the planning phase to implementation more rapidly. Paul Mason, CEO of Robotics Australia Group, emphasized that making it easier for businesses to adopt these technologies is essential to realizing the productivity benefits of automation.
Future Outlook
As the platform scales, the focus will remain on whether AI-assisted procurement can sufficiently offset the lack of internal engineering expertise in small to mid-sized Australian firms. While the platform provides the connection to suppliers and the data to build briefs, the actual pace of adoption will depend on the industry's ability to integrate these vetted solutions into existing workflows.
Industry observers will be watching to see if this localized approach can successfully push Australia's robot density closer to the global average. If successful, the model could serve as a blueprint for other regions struggling with similar productivity plateaus and workforce shortages.