Sydney, Australia, 01 September 2026 – Australian organisations are adopting artificial intelligence (AI) faster than their information governance practices can support, according to new research from Konica Minolta Australia.
The research found that 83 per cent of Australian organisations organisations have adopted AI in at least one area. Yet only 21 per cent of organisations have a formal AI governance or policy framework in place, while just 17 per cent provide structured AI training or data literacy programs.
The research, based on a survey of 305 IT and business decision-makers across Australia, is the second in a three-part digital workplace research series developed in partnership with global analyst firm Omdia.
The findings reveal a gap between the pace of AI adoption and the information management governance practices needed to support it. Organisations already use AI across analytics and reporting, search and knowledge management, workflow automation, customer engagement, and document processing. However, they continue to contend with fragmented information, integration challenges, and gaps in AI governance and training.
Giovanni Forero, Intelligent Information Management Team Lead, Konica Minolta Australia, said, “Many organisations have moved quickly to adopt AI; however, the information governance foundations needed to support it have not always developed at the same pace. That gap creates risk because AI depends on information that is accurate, accessible, appropriately governed, and used by people who understand how to work with it safely and effectively.
“AI readiness starts with information readiness. Organisations need to understand what information they hold, where it sits, who owns it, and how it should be governed. Getting those foundations right can help organisations use AI with greater confidence while also improving how information is accessed and used across the business.”
The research found that information fragmentation remains a significant challenge. 40 per cent of Australian organisations identify information spread across platforms and departments as their biggest information management challenge.
These challenges also have implications for productivity. Most employees spend between one and five hours each week searching for information. Across a full year, Omdia estimates that this equates to approximately two to four working weeks per employee.
Despite these challenges, organisations recognise the potential business value of improving information management, data governance, and AI capabilities. 57 per cent expect improvements to reduce operating costs, while 51 per cent expect productivity gains.
Privacy and security concerns remain the most commonly cited barriers to AI adoption, at 49 per cent in Australia. Integration with existing systems is another prominent challenge, reflecting the complexity of connecting information across multiple platforms and environments.
Trevor Clarke, Chief Analyst, Omdia, said, “AI is already being used across a wide range of business functions; however, every AI project is also a data project. Organisations need to be able to find, integrate, govern, and securely access the information that sits underneath these tools.
“The research also shows a gap around AI and data literacy training. Organisations need to support technology adoption with change management and training, particularly when new tools change the way people work, to get the outcomes they expect.”
The research also highlights a contrast between organisational confidence and formal readiness. Many organisations believe their information governance and data management practices are sufficient, despite continuing to report challenges around fragmented information, system integration, privacy, security, and workforce impacts.
Key findings from The Information Readiness Gap: Data governance, digital transformation, and AI readiness report include:
- 83 per cent of Australian organisations have adopted AI in at least one area
- only 21 per cent of organisations have a formal AI governance or policy framework
- just 17 per cent provide structured AI training or data literacy programs
- 40 per cent of Australian organisations identify information spread across platforms and departments as their biggest information management challenge
- employees spend between one and five hours each week searching for information, representing approximately two to four working weeks per employee each year
- 57 per cent expect improved information management, data governance, and AI capabilities to reduce operating costs, while 51 per cent expect productivity improvements.
The Information Readiness Gap: Data governance, digital transformation, and AI readiness report is available to download here.
About Konica Minolta Australia
Konica Minolta Business Solutions Australia Pty Ltd is a market-leading provider of trusted technology solutions to help Australian organisations keep pace with the needs of the future workplace through innovation and investment technology solutions that leverage the technology of tomorrow, today.
For more information, visit konicaminolta.com.au.
About Omdia
Omdia is a technology research and advisory firm focused on helping technology companies and enterprise decision-makers navigate the connected digital economy. Through a global network of analysts, Omdia delivers expert analysis and strategic insight across IT, telecoms, and media sectors. Omdia is part of Informa TechTarget, listed on the London Stock Exchange.
