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Why Generative AI is becoming part of the infrastructure of work

Why Generative AI is becoming part of the infrastructure of work

The Australian12 hours ago
Australian workplaces are undergoing a significant transformation. Changing workforce demographics and shifting values are reshaping employee expectations, all while the nation continues to face productivity challenges. In this moment of change, generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) presents a powerful opportunity for businesses to reimagine how work gets done and boost productivity.
At Deloitte Australia, this shift began a year ago with the launch of our in-house GenAI platform, MyAssist.
What started as a pilot with roughly 1300 users aimed at supporting tasks including research, analysis, data handling, and code development, has evolved into a foundational tool available to about 12,000 of our people across Australia, and used by more than half our workforce in their daily roles.
'In just 12 months, MyAssist has processed over 3.65 million questions and approximately 20 billion words – boosting productivity and transforming how our teams work,' says Slav Tabachnik, national GenAI transformation leader at Deloitte Australia.
'That includes everything from answering general productivity queries, to specifically changing ways we work in certain parts of our delivery life cycle, always within the boundaries of our security, privacy, and policy frameworks.'
Trusted AI that's built to work
MyAssist is built to meet Deloitte's standards and Australian data governance requirements, with all data stored locally and protected by robust security and access controls. It provides a secure, compliant environment for employees to confidently explore AI at work.
Building on this strong foundation of trustworthy AI, MyAssist also removes technical barriers, making AI accessible to all users regardless of coding ability. With just three simple steps, anyone can build custom AI applications.
For more advanced users, tools enable the creation of sophisticated apps with minimal coding effort. This design creates a trusted, flexible and scalable platform grounded in real-world work habits and empowers people to use AI as a genuine collaborator.
From general productivity to work redesign
What's especially powerful is how our teams leverage MyAssist creatively to solve specific business challenges.
Our Strategy, Risk & Transactions team launched a new business case developer app on MyAssist, a tool designed to bring structure and speed to early stage project planning.
By providing a clear framework for proposals, it helps improve quality and accelerate decision-making from the outset.
'We created the app to fast-track the initial stages of planning,' says Tom Abbot, Deloitte Australia director and app developer.
'It allows us to shape early ideas quickly and complete the first 20–30 per cent of a business case in hours rather than weeks.'
Another standout example is the statement of work (SOW) review tool, now widely adopted firm-wide. This tool helps draft SOWs in line with internal quality and risk policies, identifying potential risks early and significantly reducing review time.
'The SOW Reviewer provides immediate, specific feedback on scope, deliverables, timelines, and responsibilities,' says Sophie Andrews, Deloitte Australia director and developer behind the app.
'By reducing document review cycles and turnaround times, it allows teams to focus on tailoring details for each client – ultimately improving service quality.'
AI-powered innovation driving productivity
Across Deloitte, we've uncovered close to 100 high-impact MyAssist uses so far, and that number continues to grow each week.
The platform-based approach taken with MyAssist enables teams to drive ongoing innovation, enhance productivity and transform the way they work.
Audit teams are accelerating report analysis, completing work that once took weeks in less than a day.
Meanwhile, Tax & Legal professionals have reduced the time to draft R&D Tax Incentive applications by 40–50 per cent.
But the benefits go beyond efficiency. MyAssist enhances communication and collaboration. Its translation capabilities help multilingual teams work more seamlessly, while meeting summary and interview synthesis tools make it easier to distil insights from hours of audio.
Looking ahead, Deloitte is set to expand MyAssist with sophisticated agentic applications, multimodal text, image and voice processing capabilities and intelligent task automation – heralding a future where human-AI collaboration is further embedded into the way that we work.
The future of work is already here, reshaping business
Our experience and research show productivity platforms powered by GenAI – like MyAssist – are now table stakes for organisations. Those that haven't progressed with GenAI are falling behind.
GenAI is no longer a future promise, it's already reshaping Australian workplaces.
By automating routine tasks, GenAI is enabling people to concentrate on more complex, strategic work. This shift is happening now, reshaping processes and raising the bar for productivity and competitiveness.
As GenAI becomes deeply embedded in day-to-day operations, Australian organisations are rethinking how they use it to redefine their competitive edge and unlock new value.
The question is no longer if you will embrace GenAI, but how quickly?
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Disclaimer
This publication contains general information only and Deloitte is not, by means of this publication, rendering accounting, business, financial, investment, legal, tax, or other professional advice or services. This publication is not a substitute for such professional advice or services, nor should it be used as a basis for any decision or action that may affect your business. Before making any decision or taking any action that may affect your business, you should consult a qualified professional adviser.
Deloitte shall not be responsible for any loss sustained by any person who relies on this publication.
About Deloitte
Deloitte refers to one or more of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited, a UK private company limited by guarantee ('DTTL'), its network of member firms, and their related entities. DTTL and each of its member firms are legally separate and independent entities. Please see www.deloitte.com/au to learn more.
Copyright © 2025 Deloitte Development LLC. All rights reserved.
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