Australian AI Awards returns for 2025

Australia’s top AI talent set to shine: submissions and nominations are now open for the Australian AI Awards 2025 – submit now to be recognised for excellence.

Following a blockbuster debut in 2024, the Australian AI Awards program is back, bigger and bolder, to celebrate organisations and professionals driving Australia’s AI revolution. Launched by HR Leader’s parent company, Momentum Media, and supported by industry partner AWS, the program reflects the extraordinary rise of AI across every corner of the economy.

AI has experienced a meteoric rise in Australia, with technology now embedded in sectors from finance and law to defence, cyber security, health, logistics, and more. Across corporate Australia, AI has gone from buzzword to business essential, powering smarter decision making, boosting efficiency, and enabling entirely new product categories.

From emerging SMEs to established blue-chip giants, last year’s awards attracted hundreds of submissions showcasing the full spectrum of AI innovation. These success stories are a testament to Australia’s world-class talent and the role AI is playing in transforming the nation’s competitive edge.

This year, the Australian AI Awards program aims to go even further in spotlighting the groundbreaking work across the country. With over 20 award categories, the program is designed to recognise excellence at all levels.

Individual categories include AI Consultant of the Year, AI Rising Star of the Year, and AI Software Engineer of the Year and organisational categories include AI Innovator – Media & Communication Services, AI Innovator – Legal Services, and AI Innovator – Healthcare.

Whether you’re an early-stage start-up reshaping an industry or a seasoned enterprise leading with AI at scale, this is your chance to be recognised on a national platform.

Submit an entry or nominate a worthy colleague or business by Thursday, 14 August 2025, for the chance to be recognised.

Winning an Australian AI Award is more than a trophy – it’s a powerful signal of trust, capability, and leadership in one of the most dynamic fields of our time. For professionals, it’s a career-defining accolade. For organisations, it’s a mark of excellence that helps attract clients, investors, and top-tier talent.

The awards culminate in a black-tie gala ceremony on Wednesday, 5 November 2025, at the Sofitel Sydney Wentworth, bringing together the AI community’s brightest minds for a night of recognition, celebration, and connection. Click here to buy tickets.

The finalists will be announced on Monday, 15 September, so keep an eye out for your name on the list!

The program is underpinned by a rigorous and independent judging methodology, assessing nominees on innovation, impact, leadership, diversity, and contribution to Australia’s broader technology ecosystem. Click here to view the methodology.

All businesses and professionals who meet eligibility criteria from across Australia’s AI sector are encouraged to participate in the awards program.

AI is no longer the future, it’s the now. And Australia is stepping up. Be part of the story.

For tips on how to write a winning submission, click here.

Click here to find out how to submit your entry.

For more information about the awards program, click here.