AI Agency Consultations

Part 6 of TPDi’s AI Agency Toolkit: A connected set of resources for understanding and applying the AI Agency Tool.

In September 2025, TPDi brought together over 250 individuals and 187 organisations across five cities and online, to survey and map Australia’s AI strengths and define our path forward.

In November 2025, we published a Discussion Paper and the Draft Australian AI Capability Assessment. The Final Report and Assessment were released in June 2026.

Learn how national consultations helped shape the AI Agency Tool.

2025 National Consultation Roadshow

THE PROBLEM

The consultation process was designed to address three challenges shaping debates about AI sovereignty:

  • Shared kanguage: “AI Sovereignty” means different things to different stakeholders. The consultations helped test and refine a clearer framework for understanding sovereignty and AI agency.
  • Full stack view: Understanding Australia’s position requires a holistic view of capabilities across the AI ecosystem, from compute infrastructure to data, models, skills, adoption and governance.
  • Stocktake of Australia’s national AI capabilities: From the outset of the project, Australia lacked a single, consolidated and evidence-based picture of its national AI capabilities.

Addressing these challenges created a stronger evidence base for understanding Australia’s AI capabilities, identifying strategic priorities and informing future policy and investment decisions.

ABOUT THE PROJECT

The Tech Policy Design Institute led a national project to define AI sovereignty and assess Australia’s national AI capabilities, informed by consultation with more than 250 experts across government, the technology ecosystem, research and civil society.

The project evolved into TPDi’s AI Agency Tool, a structured and repeatable method for assessing AI maturity, sovereignty and agency across 103 capabilities. The research and consultation also informed Australia’s 2025 AI Agency Assessment, the first national application of the Tool.

This work was made possible through collaboration with Australia’s tech policy ecosystem. For more details of contributors, see Acknowledgements.

While developed through a collaborative process, the final report, assessment, analysis and all outcomes represent solely the views of TPDi and the authors.

Workshops were held from 18-26 September 2025 alongside an expert survey conducted to:

  • inform and test the emerging approach to AI Agency Tool before it was finalised, and
  • contribute directly to the Australian National AI Capability Stocktake across the full AI stack.

Read the Final Report here.

Read Australia’s 2025 AI Agency Assessment here.

 

TPDi’s Independence

TPDi’s independence is our most valuable asset. As a registered not-for-profit, our work is supported by external funding. We only accept funding from entities that agree to be disclosed publicly and commit to respect and promote TPDi’s independence. TPDi does not represent the views of any of our funders; all outputs represent solely the views of TPDi and/or the authors. Learn more about TPDi’s blind trust funding model and how this protects and promotes our independence.