Technology

Promoting and protecting critical technologies

Critical technologies are current and emerging technologies with the capacity to impact our national interest. This includes Australia’s:

• national security
• economic prosperity
• social cohesion.

The critical technology priority fields are:

• advanced manufacturing and materials technologies
• artificial intelligence (AI) technologies
• advanced information and communication technologies
• quantum technologies
• autonomous systems, robotics, positioning, timing and sensing
• biotechnologies
• clean energy generation and storage technologies.

Government actions to promote and protect critical technologies aim to:

• give Australians access to cost-effective, safe, secure and inclusive technologies
• promote Australia as a trusted partner for investment, research and innovation
• support regional resilience and competitive, trusted and diverse technology innovation
• enable Australian industries to thrive and maximise intellectual property (IP).

Shaping global critical technologies standards

We are increasing Australia's influence on the design and use of international standards for critical technologies. This will help ensure that these products, services and systems are safe, consistent, trusted and reliable.

Find out about our work and programs to support industry develop critical technology standards.

Coordinating digital economy policy and regulations

The Digital Technology Taskforce coordinates whole-of-economy digital policy. This ensures we keep up to date on the changing digital landscape in our increasingly digital world.

The taskforce monitors developments in emerging technologies and the digital economy. This includes examining:

• changes in the digital technology landscape
• impact and uptake of high potential emerging technologies
• digital adoption by small and medium enterprises
• digital skills and inclusion
• the role and use of data in the digital economy
• international policy developments.

The taskforce helps inform the government’s digital economy policies and regulations.