It’s been two months since the “Canberra Coachella” of economic policy drew bureaucrats, business leaders and other thinkers into the same room to talk about the “P-word” everyone knows we need to discuss, but few want to say out loud.
That set the tone for the first episode of The Productivity Levers podcast, where productivity commissioner Stephen King joined Simon Tate, president of Workday Asia Pacific and host Corrie McLeod to unpack how advanced AI, skills and demographics are shaping Australia’s economic future.
Dr King described AI as a “general-purpose technology” that must be enabled through smarter regulation, data access and digital capability in the public service — not through sovereign AI subsidies or one-off interventions.
“The real question isn’t whether government should build its own models,” he said, “but how we ensure adoption is safe, productive and broad-based.”
From the enterprise perspective, Mr Tate said Workday’s clients across the Asia-Pacific region are already seeing measurable productivity gains where AI and data-driven skills mapping are helping organisations align talent with business priorities.
“The world is shifting toward a skills-based economy. Companies that prioritise adaptability and learning over static job titles are the ones growing faster,” he said.
Both Dr King and Mr Tate agreed that technology on its own won’t solve Australia’s productivity challenge.
“AI doesn’t create productivity, people do — when they’re empowered by technology and trusted to make decisions,” Mr Tate said.
The conversation also examined the intergenerational workforce, with up to five generations now working side by side.
Dr King and Mr Tate said that older workers remain an underused strength in the digital economy, and that inclusive design and targeted reskilling could be powerful productivity levers.
As the Productivity Levers series continues, future episodes will explore how government, industry and technology leaders can collaborate to pull the real levers that drive sustainable growth.
Produced by InnovationAus.com in partnership with Workday.
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