Brisbane's AI firms fall into two broad groups. Some help large organisations roll out AI on platforms they already use, such as Microsoft 365. Others build automations and AI agents for smaller service businesses. Around them sit two well-known robotics research groups, CSIRO Robotics and the QUT Centre for Robotics. This page covers the local firms, where AI is being applied in Queensland and current state support.
What's driving AI demand in Queensland
The Queensland Government is funding AI adoption for two groups.
- Small and family businesses. The 2026–27 Budget included a new $10 million programme to help small and family businesses across all sectors adopt AI. The June 2026 announcement did not include application details, so check Business Queensland for updates.
- Manufacturers. The Queensland Manufacturing AI Uplift Trial Program, delivered through ARM Hub, offers eligible manufacturers services worth up to $250,000, including a private workspace on an AI platform running on sovereign Australian cloud infrastructure. Intake windows open and close, so check the program page for the current round.
Government-funded work is a cheap way to test an idea, but scope it so the result is useful to whichever firm builds the production system. Ask for the data preparation, test results and documentation to be handed over in a form you own, so you are not starting again later.
Queensland's research base shows where AI is being applied beyond the office. CSIRO Robotics, based in Brisbane, works across agriculture, advanced manufacturing and mining. The QUT Centre for Robotics lists agriculture, health, infrastructure monitoring, defence, manufacturing, mining and construction among its application areas. In many of those settings the AI has to work on a harvester, in a processing plant or underground, not on a laptop.
The Brisbane firms on our list
Data#3
Data#3 is headquartered in Toowong and says it has over 49 years of experience. Its Data & AI practice covers AI solutions, Microsoft 365 Copilot and agentic AI, business analytics, and IoT and location-based analytics, alongside consulting, cloud, security and managed services. It suits large organisations that already run on Microsoft and want AI rolled out by a provider that also handles the surrounding infrastructure and support.
Osher Digital
Osher Digital works from Eagle Street in the CBD and is led by founder and director Matthew Clarkson. It builds AI agents and assistants, including Microsoft Copilot agents, workflow automations with tools such as n8n and RPA, and custom business systems like CRMs, portals and field apps. It also runs business process audits, which is a sensible first step if you are not sure where AI would help.
Thoughtworks and national firms
Thoughtworks has a Brisbane office and focuses on governed AI agents and enterprise AI delivery. Quantium, V2 AI and Mantel Group also list Brisbane offices, and Deloitte works from every capital.
Choosing a Brisbane partner
| If you are... | Start with | Why |
|---|---|---|
| A large organisation on Microsoft 365 | Data#3 | Copilot, agents and analytics alongside cloud, security and managed services |
| A service business buried in manual admin | Osher Digital | Automation and AI agents sized for small and mid-sized firms |
| An enterprise building AI into core systems | Thoughtworks, Mantel Group or V2 AI | Larger delivery teams with governance built in |
| A manufacturer exploring AI | The state's AI Uplift programme | Government-funded services before you commit your own budget |
| Running machines in the field | An edge AI and robotics specialist | The model must run on board, often without a reliable link |
Whatever you choose, ask how the firm will handle Queensland conditions: regional sites with patchy coverage, seasonal operations, and staff who will use the system on a phone in the field rather than at a desk. A firm that has only built for head office may not have thought about any of these.
Copilot first, or something custom?
For organisations already on Microsoft 365, an early decision is whether to start with AI inside those tools or build something of your own.
Copilot and Copilot agents make sense when the work lives in documents, email, Teams and SharePoint, and the people using it already have Microsoft licences. Set-up is mostly configuration, permissions, data clean-up and training, which is the kind of work a Microsoft-focused provider such as Data#3 handles.
A custom build makes sense when the AI has to act inside systems Microsoft doesn't reach, such as a job management platform, a booking system or field equipment, or when the logic is specific to your business. That is where automation builders like Osher Digital, or larger engineering firms, come in. You may well end up with both: Copilot for everyday productivity, and a few custom agents for the processes that make you money.
Mining, agriculture and field robotics
Field projects such as spotting faults on conveyor belts, counting fruit on trees, guiding autonomous vehicles or monitoring livestock share a set of needs. The model has to run on the machine. The hardware has to survive heat, dust and vibration. And the software has to keep working when the link drops, then sync when it comes back.
None of the Brisbane firms on our list lead with this kind of embedded work, so you may need to look interstate. Sydney's Vedametric trains robot models in simulation, transfers them to real hardware and keeps the model on the robot. It also lays out its own circuit boards for edge AI chips and writes the firmware that runs them. Pairing a specialist like that with a local integrator who knows your site is one practical way to split the work.
Remote or local?
Queensland does not observe daylight saving, so from October to April Brisbane runs an hour behind Sydney and Melbourne. That is easy to plan around.
For software, remote delivery from Sydney or Melbourne works well and widens your choice. For anything on a site, factor in travel and access. A firm that has to fly to a regional mine or farm for each test will cost more and move more slowly than one that can drive there. Ask for a plan that keeps most iteration remote, with site visits booked around testing milestones. Our cost guide explains how hardware and field testing change a budget.
Common questions
What AI funding is available for Queensland businesses?
In 2026 the Queensland Government announced a $10 million programme to help small and family businesses adopt AI. It also runs the Queensland Manufacturing AI Uplift Trial Program through ARM Hub, offering eligible manufacturers services worth up to $250,000. Check Business Queensland for current rounds and eligibility.
Which Brisbane AI firm suits a small business?
Osher Digital builds AI agents, workflow automations and custom systems for small and mid-sized service businesses, and offers business process audits as a starting point.
Which Brisbane firm works on Microsoft Copilot?
Data#3, headquartered in Toowong, lists Microsoft 365 Copilot and agentic AI in its Data & AI practice, alongside analytics, cloud, security and managed services. Osher Digital also builds Copilot agents for smaller businesses.
Where does robotics research happen in Brisbane?
CSIRO Robotics is based in Brisbane and works across agriculture, advanced manufacturing and mining. The QUT Centre for Robotics researches physical interaction, perception, visual learning, decision and control, and human-robot interaction.