Australian stories - Page 23

In 2026, choosing a BPO partner means valuing AI adoption, orchestration skills, compliance and proven business benefits over just cost savings.

Thryv has launched an AI marketing tool in Australia and New Zealand to help home service businesses automate sales and boost their online presence.

Humanforce appoints Liam McNeill as SVP International to expand in EMEA and North America, targeting larger enterprise clients with AI-powered workforce management.

Macquarie Data Centres has completed the structural phase of its AUD $350m IC3 Super West AI data centre in Sydney, opening in Q3 2026 with 47MW capacity.

Eagle Eye restructures APAC leadership with new key appointments to accelerate growth beyond USD $10 million in the Asia-Pacific region.

Singapore launches a government-backed pilot to boost productivity by pairing firms with flexible, fractional executive hires for short-term leadership roles.

LabelBlind raises USD $500,000 seed funding to expand its AI-driven food labelling platform across 30+ global markets, speeding compliance and exports.

CommBank becomes Official Regional Partner for the AFC Women's Asian Cup Australia 2026, supporting women's football as the tournament returns after 20 years.

Velocity Frequent Flyer members in Australia can now earn and spend points when dining at over 3,000 venues via the me&u app, boosting rewards beyond flights.

JAVLN targets APAC growth with its cloud-based insurance software, integrating AI and enhancing security for smarter, faster advisory services.

Shadow IT, widespread in businesses, creates data chaos and compliance risks as SaaS use grows; firms must regain control to protect data and boost efficiency.

Australia leads global growth in tech and marketing deals, rising 3% amid falling activity in the US and Europe due to AI adoption and private equity interest.

Seventy percent of Australians plan to shop online this holiday season, with AI tools and Buy Now, Pay Later options driving a digital surge in sales.

Australian holiday spending is set to rise 18% to AUD $969 per shopper, driven by price hikes and stress, with many using AI to aid gift buying this season.

Australian organisations are reassessing cloud strategies amid rising costs and AI demands, balancing public cloud, private servers, and data sovereignty concerns.

Small businesses are cutting back on costly martech subscriptions, favouring simpler, local Australian software that better fits their needs and budgets.

New underground data centres paired with agrovoltaic farms and solar cooling offer a sustainable model supporting agriculture, food security and climate goals.

AI-powered search is transforming retail, but 85% of Australian retailers are unprepared, risking visibility and growth as AI reshapes online shopping by 2026.

AI is revolutionising retail by automating manual product tasks, enabling faster listings and freeing teams to enhance customer experience and boost sales.

Fintech firms in Australia, the UK and Singapore boost growth by adopting AI, real-time payments and ESG-focused strategies to thrive amid evolving markets.