Helping small and medium enterprises adopt AI effectively and responsibly
The UTS Human Technology Institute is working with industry and government partners on SAAM – SafeAI Made Easy, a national initiative helping Australian small and medium enterprises (SMEs) adopt artificial intelligence effectively and responsibly. As one of four AI Adopt Centres funded by the Commonwealth Government Department of Industry, Science and Resources under the AI Adopt program, SAAM is dedicated to supporting SMEs in navigating the opportunities and risks of AI adoption with confidence.
Ask SAAM: Making AI Adoption Safer for SMEs
Australian SMEs will be able to "Ask SAAM" to help them realise the benefits of AI while navigating the risks it presents. SAAM will provide simple, practical advice to support SMEs in their AI adoption journey.
SAAM is designed to be simple to use, easy to understand, pragmatic, quick, and free – ensuring that SMEs, regardless of location, have access to AI guidance that fits their needs.
Practical Tools and Resources for AI Safety
SMEs often face significant barriers to AI adoption, from concerns around legal and reputational risk and worries about technical readiness to legal and reputational concerns and resource and expertise limitations. SAAM is specifically designed to bridge these gaps by providing:
A set of simple tools and practical resources to help Australian SMEs capitalise on the benefits of AI while minimising exposure to legal, reputational, and commercial risks.
Best-practice guidance drawn from leading AI safety frameworks, including the Australian Voluntary AI Safety Standard, Australia’s AI Ethics Principles, and global standards.
A tailored approach for SMEs, recognising that many existing frameworks are built for large corporations with dedicated AI teams. SAAM will distil complex AI concepts into accessible, SME-friendly guidance.
Delivered in Partnership with Industry Leaders
SAAM is delivered by a collaboration that includes the UTS Human Technology Institute, elevenM, Atlassian, KPMG, the Australian Computer Society (ACS), TDC Global, and Microsoft. These partners bring deep expertise across AI governance, ethics, cybersecurity, and business strategy, ensuring that SAAM remains relevant, practical, and impactful for SMEs.
Report: Perspectives and Experiences of SMEs Using AI
To better understand the real-world experiences of SMEs using AI, in February 2024, the SAAM team published In Their Words: Perspectives and Experiences of SMEs Using AI. This report explores how Australian businesses are adopting AI, the benefits they’re seeing, and the challenges they face in implementation.
SAAM
SAAM is one of the four AI Adopt centres funded by the Commonwealth Government Department of Industry, Science and Resources.
