OpenAI calls on Canberra for tax breaks in AI economic blueprint
Ronnie Chatterji
OpenAI has called on the Australian government to give generous tax breaks to companies using AI in what it describes as a “practical plan” for economic growth.
OpenAI chief economist Ronnie Chatterji met with Australian policy makers on Monday in Canberra, ahead of today’s release of the economic blueprint. The San Francisco tech company co-authored the paper with Mandala, a Canberra-based economics, strategy and policy consulting firm.
Ronnie Chatterji
The report claims that through smarter implementation of AI tools, Australia’s economy will balloon by $115 billion a year by 2030 (around $3,925 per person).
Broken down, $80 billion annually will come through increase efficiencies in productivity improvements, $25 billion from improved quality of production, and a further $10 billion yearly, from the creation of new jobs and businesses.
For such a windfall to occur, OpenAI says Australia has to get onto the front foot: with widespread AI skills training in schools and workplaces; the modernisation of our public service delivery; cash breaks to incentivise business adoption; and the investment in sovereign infrastructure – all of which will “help Australia move decisively and shape the AI future on its own terms.”
The blueprint outlines a ten-point plan to achieve this prosperity, the majority of which rely upon heavy government support.
The first step is to roll out national AI skills training for workers, students, and managers, with targeted tax incentives for all businesses adopting AI.
AI literacy and responsible use should be mandatory in schools and universities, while government services should also be streamlined and improved through responsible AI use, with secure access to government data provided for public-interest AI use.
Australia should also upskill public servants, and empower a central AI capability unit; reform AI procurement rules to support innovation and pilots; invest in AI-ready infrastructure like data centres; ensure access to affordable, renewable energy for AI infrastructure; and establish itself as “a trusted regional hub for AI standards and investment in the Indo-Pacific.”
It also suggests drawing on models like the U.S. National AI Research Institutes in order to strengthen and expand the National AI Centre’s mandate, and enable it to lead the development of sector-level AI adoption plans.
How AI can revolutionise various sectors, according to OpenAI
The government should commission tailored AI adoption blueprints with sector stakeholders across industries like healthcare and professional services, “identifying best-in-class use cases, implementation roadmaps, and workforce transition pathways.”
OpenAI offers up a lofty vision for our future – and says the rate of AI adoption in Australia proves it isn’t just pie-in-the-sky talk.
“In Australia, weekly ChatGPT usage has more than doubled in the last year alone,” the paper claims. “OpenAI’s tools are widely used by professionals and small businesses to streamline tasks, from emails and invoicing to marketing and drafting, freeing up time for higher-value work.
“This widespread integration offers a strong base for productivity transformation.”
The future of data centres
This morning, the Australian Centre for AI in Marketing (ACAM) released its first AI readiness benchmarking report, which found that Australian marketers “believe in the potential of AI, but are flying blind,” as co-founder Douglas Nicol put it.
The centre released its ‘AI Readiness Score’, a framework assessing maturity across team skills, strategy, governance, ethics, data, and leadership.
The readiness score is intended to give the marketing industry “its first benchmark to measure progress and provides a clear call to action,” Nichols said.
Under this metric, 52% of Australian marketing teams fall into the ‘beginner’ category, when it comes to AI, “showing early interest, but few implementations or frameworks”.
Just 8% of Australian marketing businesses are at an ‘advanced’ rate, “with strong leadership, planning, and deployment capability”.
Nichols warned: “If we’re [marketers] all self-taught, and we don’t have a clear understanding of ethics and brand risk, we’re under pressure and could cause a lot of damage for the brand.”
Open AI’s paper notes the “low AI readiness” of new workforce entrants as a particular challenge, as well as slow enterprise adoption, and skills not yet being widespread across the existing workforce.
Its solutions are to “roll out accessible, high quality AI skills training to support workforce transition” and sector-based capability frameworks and knowledge-sharing platforms. It also recommends the upskilling of management with using “targeted enterprise training programs.”
Australia has the opportunity to position itself as a leading
hub for AI infrastructure in the Indo-Pacific.
Open AI’s paper concludes with a bright forecast for Australia’s future – if it chooses to lean into artificial intelligence.
“For Australia, seizing this opportunity will mean unlocking a new wave of productivity, building world-class digital infrastructure, delivering better public services, and securing national resilience in a more uncertain world.
“The foundations of success are already in place. Australia boasts a strong education system, trusted public institutions, and clear infrastructure advantages. But realising the full benefits of AI will require coordinated action across government, business, and civil society.
“This blueprint outlines a path forward. By investing in skills, infrastructure, and responsible AI deployment, Australia can shape a future where AI drives inclusive growth at home and supports openness, stability, and cooperation across the Indo-Pacific.
“If successful, Australia won’t just adapt to the AI era, it will help define it.”
Mumbrella has reached out to independent economists to see if they share OpenAI’s enthusiasm for taxpayer-funded AI initiatives.
Read ‘AI in Australia—OpenAI’s Economic Blueprint‘.
Download ACAM’s 2025 AI Readiness Benchmarking Report
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