Australia's robot gap just got a new fix: an AI tool that writes your automation business case for you

Key points

• Australia had 134 robots per 10,000 manufacturing workers in the latest International Federation of Robotics count, below the world average of 162.
• HowToRobot and Robotics Australia Group launched AutomationFinder.com.au, the first country-wide licensed version of HowToRobot's AI sourcing platform.
• The subscription platform connects buyers to a global network of more than 20,000 vetted suppliers, including 500 based in Australia.
• Australia's government estimates that wider automation adoption could add between $170 billion and $600 billion per year to the country's economy by 2030.
• AutomationFinder draws on data from more than 600 completed automation projects worldwide.

Australia builds things. It just doesn't use enough robots to do it.

The country has 134 robots for every 10,000 manufacturing workers, according to the International Federation of Robotics, an industry body that tracks machine adoption globally. The world average is 162. That gap costs money: Australian manufacturing is dealing with persistent skilled-worker shortages, rising costs, and the slowest productivity growth in 60 years, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Two organisations want to close that gap with software.

HowToRobot, a Danish platform that connects manufacturers with automation suppliers, and Robotics Australia Group, the country's peak robotics industry body, have jointly launched AutomationFinder.com.au. The site is a localised, subscription-based version of HowToRobot's platform, adapted specifically for the Australian market and operated by Robotics Australia Group.

What does the platform actually do?

It helps a business owner or factory manager turn a vague idea, something like "I think we should automate our packaging line", into a document specific enough to get a budget approved and suppliers quoting.

The AI built into the platform guides users through describing their project in structured terms: what they want to automate, the scale of the operation, and the outcome they need. That description becomes a supplier-ready brief. Businesses can then receive real-world cost estimates, feasibility feedback, and solution ideas from a vetted pool of more than 20,000 suppliers worldwide, 500 of whom are based in Australia.

"Instead of hiring an engineer to spend 18 months, they can use it to mature the project description so you can go to your manager and say, 'Look, I need $200,000 to automate this,'" said Søren Peters, founder and CEO of HowToRobot, as reported by The Robot Report.

The platform is vendor-neutral. It draws on suppliers ranging from large global robotics manufacturers such as FANUC to smaller local integrators and startups. Users can compare options, gather firm quotes, and make a final selection inside the same system.

Why does this matter for ordinary businesses?

Most small and mid-sized manufacturers cannot afford a dedicated automation engineer. That is the whole point.

For a shop owner thinking about a conveyor system, or a food producer wondering whether a packing robot makes financial sense, the traditional path meant paying a consultant for months of work before knowing if the idea was even viable. AutomationFinder is designed to compress that process. A panel of independent Australian automation experts is also available for hands-on help when businesses need it.

Australia's own National Robotics Strategy acknowledges the scale of the opportunity: wider automation could add $170 billion to $600 billion per year to the country's gross domestic product by 2030.

"If we want the productivity benefits of automation, we need to make it easier for more Australian businesses to actually adopt it," said Paul Mason, CEO of Robotics Australia Group.

What happens next?

Australia is the first country to get its own licensed, national version of the HowToRobot platform, but Peters says other countries and industry associations are already calling. The platform also stores anonymised data about what businesses are considering automating, which Peters says could eventually give policymakers a real-time picture of where national manufacturing bottlenecks actually sit.

Common questions

Who is AutomationFinder.com.au for?

It is built for Australian businesses of any size, from small family-run operations to large manufacturers, that want to explore automation but do not have in-house engineering expertise to run the process.

Does using the platform commit a business to buying anything?

No. The platform helps businesses build a project brief and gather market feedback on costs and options. Purchasing only happens if a business decides to move forward with a supplier after comparing quotes.

Is the advice independent?

HowToRobot describes its system as vendor-neutral, meaning it does not favour any particular supplier. Recommendations draw from a mix of global manufacturers, local integrators, and startups.