Australia’s innovation system contains multiple intermediary models, including consultants, brokers, mediators and resource providers. Each model contributes value, yet none resolves the persistent difficulty firms face when adopting external knowledge. This Insight argues that the absence of a dedicated technology transfer agent function is a major structural weakness. TTAs work inside firms, aggregate capability across institutions, and build adoption pathways.

Current debates about artificial intelligence often miss the fundamental difference between AI that replaces human capabilities and AI that amplifies them. Drawing on lessons from economic history and organisation theory, this insight argues for a focus on augmentation. For Australia, choosing to augment human expertise with AI is critical for building an economy that thrives on creativity and avoids the long-term risks of deskilling our workforce.