AI Business Studio
Building Australia’s AI-ready workforce
Work with La Trobe students on real AI projects. Get practical solutions, fresh thinking, and a clear path to using AI in your business.
The AI Business Studio is designed to scale, with a goal of supporting 1,000 businesses and 8,000 students
By connecting businesses with emerging talent, we're building practical AI capability across industry while preparing the next generation of AI-ready graduates.
We aim to:
Build AI capability across industries and regions
Strengthen workforce readiness and employability
Drive productivity and quality improvements at scale
AI is changing how businesses operate
Getting started is the hardest part. Most SMEs know AI can improve quality, reduce manual work and unlock insights, but:
- It’s unclear where to start
- Tools feel overwhelming
- Hiring consultants is expensive
- Internal capability is limited
The AI Business Studio changes that.
What is the AI Business Studio?
A practical, low-risk way to explore AI in your business
Led by the La Trobe Business School, The AI Business Studio connects your business with interdisciplinary student teams from La Trobe University to solve real business challenges using AI through a structured and supervised project model.
Businesses select from a curated service catalogue aligned to common AI use cases, ensuring projects are well-defined, achievable, and deliver practical outcomes such as workflow improvements, quality enhancements and actionable insights.
We bring fresh thinking, structured delivery and real results, helping your business take confident, practical steps with AI.
What your business gains
By participating, your business will:
Identify realistic, high-impact AI opportunities Reduce time spent on repetitive or manual tasks Build internal confidence in using AI tools Access emerging talent before hiring Receive practical deliverables
Choose your AI project
Each service is designed to address common, high-value AI use cases for businesses.
How it works
A simple, structured process designed for busy businesses.
Step 1: Register your interest
Pick the service you are interested in.
Step 2: Service selection and matching
We allocate a dedicated student and expert team to deliver the project.
Step 3: 10-week project delivery
Students work with you to explore solutions with structured support.
Step 4: Final outputs and next steps
You receive practical outcomes and a clear path forward.
Who should apply
Designed for businesses ready to take the first step with AI.
Ideal for
- Small and medium-sized businesses
- Regional businesses
- Councils and community-based services
- Businesses exploring AI for the first time
Not designed for
- Mission-critical systems
- Full-scale AI implementation
- High-risk or highly sensitive applications
Why La Trobe?
Backed by research. Delivered with real-world impact.
The AI Business Studio is led in partnership by the La Trobe Business School, Eagleworks, the La Trobe AI Institute, academics and industry teams.
This ensures:
Strong academic and professional oversight
Responsible and ethical AI practices
High-quality project delivery
Meaningful outcomes for business and students
La Trobe combines research, education and industry engagement to deliver practical, applied AI solutions that create real impact.
Growing industry momentum
The AI Business Studio is already attracting attention from business networks and partners looking for practical, accessible ways to engage with AI.
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SMEs
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Chambers of Commerce
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Regional partners
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Corporate partners
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Student teams
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Associations
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La Trobe Experts
Why this matters
The Studio creates a platform for:
- Broad SME engagement
- Stronger business capability
- Talent pipeline development
- Collaboration between industry and education