Predicting the *exact* number of Australians using AI in 2026 is difficult, but current adoption rates and projected growth suggest over 8.5 million Australians will interact with AI-powered systems regularly, primarily through applications embedded in everyday tools like search engines, social media, and marketing platforms. This usage is driven by increasingly accessible AI features integrated into existing software, rather than direct engagement with standalone AI tools.
A key example is the evolution of marketing platforms like Meta Business Suite, widely used by Australian SMBs. As of December 2025, Meta’s Advantage+ campaign budget features utilise AI to automatically optimise ad spend across Facebook and Instagram, distributing budget to the best-performing ad sets in real-time. This isn’t a separate AI product; it’s AI *within* the platform. The system works by continuously analysing hundreds of signals – demographics, interests, behaviours, placement performance – and adjusting bids to maximise conversions, all without manual intervention. Currently, Advantage+ is available to all Australian advertisers. Similarly, Google Ads now includes Performance Max campaigns, leveraging AI to find customers across all of Google’s advertising channels. These platforms are also incorporating AI-powered creative tools, generating ad copy and image variations based on provided inputs. In 2026, we anticipate further integration of generative AI for content creation directly within these platforms, increasing user interaction with AI without requiring specialist knowledge.
Essentially, AI is becoming less of a distinct technology and more of a foundational layer within the tools Australians already use, automating tasks and personalising experiences through data analysis and predictive algorithms.
