Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly reshaping business operations worldwide, offering improvements in productivity, efficiency and customer engagement. However, regional businesses often face unique challenges: limited digital infrastructure, skills shortages and distance from major innovation hubs.

To help bridge this gap, RDA Melbourne designed and delivered a series of AI-focused events to increase awareness, build skills and empower local businesses. Between 2024 and 2025, four events engaged over 540 stakeholders in Bendigo, Wangaratta, Torquay and Yarrawonga.

The events stemmed from discussions with Victorian Regional RDAs in early 2024, in which RDA Melbourne identified the disruptive and beneficial possibilities for AI as an issue of importance for regional business, government and organisations.

The events aimed to ensure that regional communities were not left behind as the digital economy accelerates— providing inclusive opportunities to learn, collaborate and innovate. A major success factor was the calibre of presenters, reflecting deep expertise across industry, academia and innovation. Speakers included the Future Skills Organisation, Swinburne University of Technology’s Factory of the Future and the Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing Hub—each bringing cutting-edge insights into AI’s role in workforce transformation and industrial innovation.

Event programming also featured experienced entrepreneurs and legal experts, such as the co-founder of Hypereal and representatives from regional startups, offering practical perspectives on AI adoption, ethical considerations, and business readiness.

By reaching over 540 representatives from business, government and other organisations in regional Victoria, these entities have been given access to information, tools and strategies that can assist regional Victoria in becoming more adept and comfortable in utilising AI. As a result, capacity is being built in the regions by having access to AI information that may have been more accessible to those in metropolitan areas. The forums were also designed to have significant local input from businesses and organisations in the AI space, to demonstrate to regional stakeholders that AI was already being embraced in their region and that local experience was able to be shared.

The forums represented a collaboration of all levels of government with participation from the Australian Government's National AI Centre, the federally funded Australian Regional AI Network and Victorian RDAs. At the state level, Regional Development Victoria was involved and partners from the Rural City of Wangaratta and the Moira Shire Council. Local government was well represented at the forums and proved valuable and active promoters of the events to their business communities.

By conducting the forums in regional Victoria, RDA Melbourne, along with its partner organisations, has contributed to ensuring stakeholders have the insights and tools for use in positioning regions to grow by capitalising on the opportunities presented by AI and understanding the limitations and necessary protocols to protect sensitive information.

RDA Melbourne in delivering on its capital city RDA mandate, has welcomed the opportunity to collaborate and work with all levels of government, the Victorian RDAs, RDAs over the border in New South Wales, and other regional businesses and organisations.

As a result of the forums, regional Victorian businesses and organisations are better placed to strategically embed AI into the functioning of their entities and reap the rewards of this in terms of economic and industry growth.

A YouTube playlist from the Bendigo event can be found here.