SMEC AI launches the AI Information Line: free national AI help for small business, in one phone call
The launch announcement: one phone call connects any Australian small business with practical AI guidance.
First published by iTWire. Republished with permission.
Unveiled at a Melbourne industry forum with the National AI Centre, the AI Information Line gives Australian SMEs a fast, responsible first conversation about AI, anytime, from anywhere.
The Small to Medium Enterprise Centre of AI (SMEC AI), a Federal Government AI adoption centre, has launched the AI Information Line, a free national phone service that gives Australian small and medium enterprises (SMEs) responsible, practical assistance on adopting artificial intelligence in a single phone call.
Lee Hickin, Executive Director, National AI Centre
The service was unveiled in Melbourne at an event co-hosted with the National AI Centre (NAIC), where NAIC Executive Director Lee Hickin joined a fireside conversation on Australia’s National AI Strategy and the future of AI adoption.
Available now on 1800 517 403 and at https://smecai.au, the AI Information Line is built and operated in Australia by SMEC AI under the Australian Government’s AI Adopt program.
Closing the AI adoption gap for small business
For most small businesses, the hardest part of AI is knowing where to begin. Deloitte Access Economics research from November 2025 found that while around two-thirds of Australian small and medium businesses now use AI in some form, only about five per cent of those using it are doing so to anywhere near its full potential, and more than half of SME workforces have only a basic or novice familiarity with the technology. For many, simply not knowing where to start remains one of the biggest barriers, with around a third of non-adopting SMBs saying they don’t know where to begin.
The AI Information Line is designed to close that gap in the time it takes to make a phone call. A caller describes their problem in plain language, an AI voice agent that clearly identifies itself as AI answers within seconds, works through a structured intake, and points the caller to general AI options worth considering. After the call, the caller receives a written AI Information Summary by text, a plain-English recap of what was discussed and some suggested next steps to consider. The summary is general information rather than professional advice, and callers can ask to book a time with a member of the SMEC AI team at any point.
Andrew Lai, Managing Director, SMEC AI, said, “Most small businesses don’t stall on AI because they aren’t interested. They stall because they don’t know where to start, and they can’t afford to get it wrong. The AI Information Line removes that first barrier. We built this under the AI Adopt program so that trustworthy AI assistance isn’t a privilege of big companies with big budgets. It’s a free, national front door to AI for every small business in the country.”
Built to a responsible-AI standard
The AI Information Line was designed to a responsible-AI standard, with safeguards built in and testing before launch. It clearly identifies itself as an AI assistant at the start of every call, callers can choose to book a time with a member of the SMEC AI team at any time, and the service is Australian-built and operated under the AI Adopt mandate.
SMEC AI says the initiative is intended as a live, publicly accessible example of responsible AI deployed at national scale, and a measurable way to lift SME AI capability across the country. Deloitte Access Economics modelling from November 2025, commissioned by Amazon, estimated that around $44 billion could be added to Australia's economy each year if just one in ten lower-maturity Australian small and medium businesses advanced one rung on the AI maturity ladder.
Lee Hickin, Executive Director, National AI Centre, added, “Australia’s opportunity in AI will be shaped by how confidently our small and medium businesses can adopt it, safely, and purposefully. That means meeting them where they are, with practical and responsible support.
“Initiatives that are built to a high standard of safety and accountability help give the SME sector a clearer, more confident path to adopt AI, and that is good for the whole economy.”
How to use the AI Information Line
Australian small and medium businesses can call 1800 517 403 or visit smecai.au. The service is free and available now.
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