
Episode Summary:
Katherine Boiciuc, Chief Technology and Innovation Officer at EY Oceania, delivers a powerful wake-up call on why Australia is at risk of becoming a global AI laggard. With a unique perspective at the intersection of technology, innovation, and policy, Katherine breaks down how Australia, despite inventing WiFi, is sitting on the sidelines of the AI revolution, missing a $115 billion economic opportunity. She shares how EY has up-skilled over 85% of its 400,000-strong workforce in AI, built the world’s largest private AI platform, and implemented AI agents at scale, while most organisations are still debating their first AI hires. This episode dives deep into what Australia needs to do now to avoid falling irreversibly behind, from setting a bold national AI strategy to investing in mass up-skilling programs and embracing AI across industries like healthcare, financial services, retail, and energy. Katherine also offers inspiring and practical advice for women looking to pivot into AI, shares her favourite tools and productivity hacks (including the AI prompt that gives her “permission to log off” for the day), and calls on every listener to claim their seat at the AI table, before it’s too late.
Episode Sponsors:
Chapters:
03:03 – What Is EY’s AI Story & Their Internal AI Training Playbook
06:28 – EY’s Private AI Platform: How EYQ Empowers 120,000+ Employees
13:48 – Australia’s Missed Economic Opportunity: $115B at Stake
16:51 – Why EY Built the AI Sentiment Index — And What It Revealed
23:32 – The Three Fixes Needed to Course-Correct Australia’s AI Future
30:40 – The Five Industries Australians Want AI To Transform
35:18 – KB’s Advice for Women Reentering the Workforce in the AI Age
39:39 – Rapid Fire: Why Voice-Activated AI Is the Next Big Frontier