Robotics push could add AUD $201 billion to GDP by 2040

Amazon Australia has commissioned research suggesting that greater investment in robotics could add up to AUD $201 billion to Australia's GDP by 2040. The modelling was carried out by ACIL Allen.

The report says a combination of higher industrial robot density and wider use of service robots outside manufacturing could raise annual incomes by AUD $6,500 per person and support an average of 128,900 new jobs each year.

According to the modelling, those gains would come from doubling Australia's industrial robot density and increasing service robot adoption by 15% in non-manufacturing sectors. ACIL Allen says the changes would lift productivity across the economy while creating new roles in areas such as maintenance and technical support.

Australia has strong robotics research, particularly in field robotics for difficult and unstructured environments, but the study says the country trails other markets in production, adoption and robotics-related employment.

Mining and agriculture were identified as sectors with stronger existing use of robotics. The report says those industries highlight the wider scope for adoption in manufacturing and services if businesses and policymakers support commercial uptake.

Alex Gash, executive director at ACIL Allen, said the findings suggest that even limited progress could have broad economic effects.

"Our analysis reveals that even relatively modest improvements to Australia's robotics sector could deliver substantial productivity benefits across the entire economy," Gash said.

"The modelling shows how strengthening both adoption and production of robotics can generate measurable gains in GDP, real wages, and employment. What's striking is the scaling effect: increases in robotics don't just benefit individual firms or sectors, they lift productivity economy-wide," he said.

Commercial gap

The report points to a familiar problem in Australia's technology sector: translating research into commercial use. Stronger links are needed between universities, industry and deployment, along with more testing facilities, demonstration spaces and partnerships to move systems from laboratories into businesses.

That challenge matters because robotics investment is often spread across several parts of the economy. Manufacturers may need equipment and software, service businesses may need tailored systems for specific tasks, and operators may need training and maintenance support before adoption can scale.

Amazon says its own use of robotics in Australia has changed work inside its operations, shifting staff away from heavy manual tasks and towards oversight, maintenance and systems support.

Among the technologies cited was Hercules, a mobile robot used in fulfilment centres to move inventory weighing up to 500 kilograms. Amazon says the system reduces physical strain on workers and allows employees to focus on tasks that require judgement.

The company also highlighted DeepFleet, which it described as a generative AI foundation model used to manage robot traffic. Amazon says the software improved travel efficiency across its robot fleet by 10%, with implications for order processing and delivery times.

Broader push

Beyond its own operations, Amazon says Australian entrepreneurs can access its USD $1 billion Amazon Industrial Innovation Fund, which backs technology and supply chain projects. It also says it has worked with MassRobotics as part of efforts to support assistive technology development.

The research adds to a wider debate about how Australia can lift productivity growth at a time when businesses and governments are under pressure to improve output, wages and industrial competitiveness. Robotics has long been discussed as one answer, but uptake has remained uneven outside sectors with clear returns on automation.

The ACIL Allen modelling argues that a relatively modest rise in adoption and production could deliver benefits well beyond the businesses directly installing the systems, through higher productivity, stronger wages and more employment across the economy.