Australian Digital Inclusion Index and AI surge highlight opportunity for a national target and aligned action plan
5 November, 2025: The Australian Digital Inclusion Alliance (ADIA), the peak body for Australia’s digital inclusion ecosystem, today welcomed important new data highlighting the urgent need for action to close the digital divide.
Supported by Telstra, RMIT University, Swinburne University and the ARC Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision Making and Society, the latest Australian Digital Inclusion Index report provides an important update on progress to address digital inclusion.
While the findings suggest improved rates of digital inclusion, they indicate that about one in five Australians still struggle to fully engage in the digital world and that increased attention is required to address challenges across the key measures of access, affordability and ability.
The index shows improving rates of digital ability, skills and literacy, but reveals a recent surge in the use of generative AI, highlighting the need to address evolving capability challenges in the community.
Digital inclusion continues to be uneven across Australia, including with pronounced gaps for First Nations Australians, lower income households, elderly people and people with disabilities among other cohorts. There are also gaps between metropolitan areas and regional Australia.
ADIA Chair, David Spriggs said the updated index highlights the need for a national approach to digital inclusion and raises the opportunity for a national goal to align policy and galvanise action.
“Digital inclusion is a vital enabler for social and economic participation and this new data highlights the very real challenges that people face to access those benefits. The index helps identify critical barriers and provides evidence to inform policies and initiatives to close the digital gap.
“The digital inclusion challenge is becoming more pronounced as AI rapidly becomes part of everyday life. Australia needs a coordinated national response to avoid a growing AI divide and this new data provides the benchmarks to inform targets to guide us.
“While digital ability index scores are improving, the ADIA remains particularly concerned about the skills and literacy required to engage in the digital world with safety and confidence. AI is raising the stakes and increased adoption across the community means we need AI literacy to be a foundation of our national AI adoption strategies.”
The recent ADIA position paper, A National Approach to Digital Inclusion, outlines the multifaceted and fragmented nature of digital inclusion. It recommends government:
- Establish accountability, including cross-portfolio ministerial responsibility, sector advisory body, national goal and action plan.
- Invest in coordination, including ecosystem mapping, sector resourcing and government leadership.
- Prioritise ability, including setting a national benchmark for digital ability – an articulation of the minimum level of digital ability we aspire to for Australians.
The latest ADII report offers an important opportunity to establish a national target or set of goals, which can rally support around targeted evidence-based policies and initiatives. The ADIA is committed to work with government and digital inclusion ecosystem to establish that accountability.
Media Contact
Tim Marshall, Co-Convenor, Australian Digital Inclusion Alliance
0400 00 5373, tmarshall@digitalinclusion.org.au
Resources
Measuring Australia’s digital divide: 2025 Australian digital inclusion index
Measuring Australia’s Digital Divide: website and dashboards
About the Australian Digital Inclusion Alliance
The Australian Digital Inclusion Alliance (ADIA) is a shared initiative with over 500 not-for-profits, businesses, academic and community organisations, and government agencies working together to accelerate action on digital inclusion. Our member organisations conduct a variety of research and practical programs aimed at reducing the digital divide and enabling greater social and economic participation for all Australians. Supported by Infoxchange, Telstra and Google, we work to enable collaboration and advocacy on key priorities for those organisations who work daily to advance progress on digital inclusion. Our work is guided by a governance and strategy committee – including representation from Infoxchange, Telstra, Google, Swinburne University of Technology, Good Things Australia, The Smith Family, the Australian Communications Consumer Action Network, Alannah & Madeline Foundation, The Inclusive Design Collective and Education Services Australia.