The 2026 Tech Leaders Survey at a glance:
Australian technology leaders are moving beyond AI exploration to a broader, more strategic focus on embedding AI at an operational level, according to the Tech Leaders Survey 2026 released today by the Tech Council of Australia (TCA) and Datacom.
The findings from 108 senior founders and executives reflect a shared view that a "real and immediate" opportunity exists to lift performance across the economy through practical technology adoption.
Lucinda Longcroft, TCA Director of Policy & Government Affairs said: “The 2026 survey provides a constructive signal that the tech sector is moving from interest to impact. We see a sector increasingly confident in its unique character and focused on capturing the productivity upside of new technologies. The focus now is on the infrastructure needed to turn this momentum into long-term growth.”
Laura Malcolm, Managing Director of Datacom said: “At Datacom, we believe technology has a central role to play in lifting Australia’s productivity, and this research shows leaders are increasingly focused on using tools like AI to improve efficiency, resilience and performance within their organisations.
“At the same time, there is a real gap between ambition and readiness. Interest in AI is high, but capability, infrastructure and investment are not yet where they need to be to support adoption at scale. If we want productivity gains to translate into stronger growth, we need to make it easier for organisations to adopt and apply technology in practical ways - not just experiment but embed it into day-to-day operations.”
While momentum is strong, the report highlights a significant gap in national readiness. There is a near-unanimous call for action regarding national productivity, with 90% of tech leaders believing Australia is not doing enough to tackle macroeconomic challenges. Readiness for the AI wave also remains a concern with only 7% of leaders believing Australia currently has the capability and infrastructure to a "great extent" to meet future AI demand.
AI remains the dominant focus for technology leaders, with 78% identifying AI and machine learning as the defining trend for 2026, up from 67% in 2025 and 66% in 2024. At the same time, cybersecurity appears less frequently as a standalone “defining trend” (17% in 2025 compared with 9% in 2026). This likely reflects its position as an established, embedded capability across organisations, alongside increasing convergence between AI and cybersecurity rather than a reduction in importance.
Nearly half (47%) of leaders believe using technology to drive operational efficiency is the greatest opportunity for Australian business in 2026 - a sharp rise from 35% last year. This shift comes as leaders prioritise domestic productivity over aggressive offshore expansion, which has fallen to a priority for only 10% of respondents.
Despite the focus on internal efficiency, confidence in the local ecosystem remains high – 64% of respondents believe the Australian tech ecosystem remains distinct from other global hubs like Silicon Valley. There is a strong sense that the local market's collaborative and resilient nature is a major advantage, helping build a version of tech that works for Australia’s specific needs and local innovation.
The Tech Leaders Survey 2026 provides a directional snapshot of participating industry leaders. The cohort represents a high level of seniority, with 82% of respondents at the C-Suite, Director, or VP level. The full report is available here.
