AI Skills Gap: Demand Outpaces Readiness in Australia

There’s a critical gap emerging in Australia’s AI journey. While the nation is building strength in applied AI research and fostering a growing startup scene, its workplaces are falling behind in AI readiness. 

According to new data from Salesforce and Morning Consult, Australian workers expect more structured training and incentives to keep up with the pace of innovation, but employers and governments have yet to deliver at scale.

The survey of over 14,000 people across 13 countries, including more than 1,100 Australians, reveals a clear disconnect between the nation’s technological potential and its workforce preparedness.

Key Findings

The survey highlights a significant gap between worker expectations and institutional action on AI readiness in Australia.

• Australian workplaces lag behind: Only 41% of Australian workers report their workplace is prepared for AI.
  • This is below the global average of 48% and significantly behind leading countries like India (83%) and Saudi Arabia (70%).
    
• Workers expect more support: While 45% of Australian workers support more investment in AI, they’re looking for employers and the government to lead the charge.
  • The data shows they expect structured programs and incentives to help them upskill.
  • Globally, this sentiment is strong, with nearly two-thirds of respondents saying they’d likely take AI-related training if governments offered financial support.
    
• Institutional investment is falling short: Australian workers feel that employers and the government have yet to deliver training at scale.
  • This reflects a global trend where only about one in three workers expect their workplace to increase investment in AI learning in the next year, and just 28% believe their national government invests enough in upskilling programs.

“While Australia is rightfully highly regarded for its AI governance approaches, matching that momentum with worker training will unlock broader adoption and close the AI readiness gap,” said Justin Tauber, GM Agentic Technology, Trust & Adoption, Salesforce ANZ. “Investing in worker training is about more than just technology; it’s about building confidence, boosting national competitiveness, and ensuring AI adoption is sustainable and inclusive, while ensuring no one is left behind.”

A nation of innovators needs a skilled workforce

Australia finds itself among other advanced economies that are behind the curve on AI readiness. With a workplace readiness rate of 41%, Australia is grouped with countries like Canada (40%) and the UK (44%), while its growing strength in AI research and startups shows a clear ambition to lead.

This mirrors findings from Salesforce’s recent Global AI Readiness Index, which showed how institutional coordination directly influences a country’s ability to translate AI strategy into widespread adoption. The opportunity is clear: bridging this gap is essential to unlocking the full potential of Australia’s innovation economy.

As AI adoption accelerates, the pressure on companies to retain and upskill their employees will only increase, even as senior HR executives are trying to reimagine the structure and skills of their workforces. Workers overwhelmingly believe that the responsibility for AI training shouldn’t rest solely on their shoulders; instead, they think it should be a collaborative effort between businesses, governments, and academic institutions.

Learn more:

• Read the full Global AI Readiness Index
• Discover more key considerations for using AI agents responsibly
• Read Salesforce’s recommendations on a policy framework for addressing enterprise use cases of AI
• Catch up on the latest AI usage survey from the Slack Workforce Index

Methodology

This study is based on a double-anonymous survey conducted by Morning Consult between August 21, 2025 – August 26, 2025. It generated n14,231 responses from adults across North America, Latin America, Asia-Pacific, and Europe, including n1,101 in Australia. While commissioned by Salesforce, the report reflects independent research and provides a neutral, evidence-based perspective.