Microsoft and LiveTiles partners, BICG and RDP IT have launched an ecosystem of companies in the artificial intelligence space, with the main entity called AI Australia.
In November, BICG and RDP merged businesses, mixing 15 years experience in data analytics, CRM, document management and smart software development.
So far, the group has created AI Sydney, AI Brisbane, AI Darwin and AI Adelaide, cementing local focus through different city initiatives.
"We’ve all worked with each other for many years and have broken into two areas - Brisbane and Sydney," RDP IT CEO Rob Delli said.
"We started to do more work in predictive analytics and it was a natural progression for us, being data experts, to take our data into a different way, using the latest technology in building predictive models."
As part of its launch to the market, AI Sydney recently held an event showcasing its latest developments and interactions with artificial intelligence for the workplace.
The demonstrations covered a number of areas including Microsoft cognitive services, artificial intelligence in health, intelligent data services, chatbots, LiveTiles Microsoft chatbots, Microsoft HoloLens and live artificial intelligence theatre.
Furthermore, it is also close to establishing offices in Melbourne, as well as Perth and Hobart, which are showing signs of interest, Delli said.
In May, the Tasmanian government revealed a start-up accelerator program to help businesses grow and develop in the region.
"There’s a big opportunity to get some government funding by setting up an office in Hobart," he said.
BICG has been funding the new start-up and its director, Cody Middlebrook, said it will look at gaining extra funding towards further developing its products and eventually heading overseas.
As well as Microsoft and LiveTiles, AI also has partnerships with Upwire and Jade.
"A lot of the partners that we have at our event specialise in chatbot development, but not data, which is where our specialty is," Middlebrook explained.
"We’re able to take the data, mine it, prepare it and put it into predictive models and they’re able to fit it into their chatbot systems."
Delli added their work in the artificial intelligence space was also gaining a lot of attention from the US and Asia Pacific countries such as Philippines, Taiwan and Singapore.
Health and education are currently its two biggest sectors, and Delli said it was also seeing interest from the financial market.
The company has access to 300 engineers and developers across Australia, and since launching AI Sydney, it has just under 60 full time employees. Delli said he was also keen to see its training consultancy business grow, which is experiencing high demand.
Interest in the Sydney event has beaten the company’s expectations, and Delli said it will be taking its roadshow into other cities across the country, with AI Brisbane next on the agenda.
“Our growth has been greater than we anticipated, and there’s been a lot of blood, sweat and tears that have gone into the business,” he said.
