Good morning future-focused leaders.

This week I paused on something that made me chuckle, and then reflect. Aged care tech expert Emmanoel Katris shared a screenshot from LinkedIn, where someone claimed to have “25 years of AI experience.” Considering that AI as we know it (especially the kind that’s actually useful for service delivery) only became widely accessible less than 4 years ago, that’s a bit of a stretch.

AI is a journey we’re all on together. But inflated claims and “gurus” can do real damage. They leave people confused, sceptical, or thinking it’s all hype—and that’s when they tune out entirely. Let’s keep it grounded and honest. That’s how we make AI useful, not just impressive.

What else we cover this week:

• Toolkit for AI integration in Support at Home – launch & webinar replay

• Invox’s National CHSP Conference 2025 – AI & the Human at the Centre

• AI Leadership in Aged Care – Ausmed’s Gold Coast evening event

• Free webinar on AI in care settings, hosted by Anglicare NSW

• Cultural bias in AI and aged care – where it shows up, how to fix it

• The “AI rebound” effect – performance drop when AI is switched off

• Sydney Uni wins $1.13m ARC fellowship on AI & loneliness in aged care

• Dept of Health releases digital transition guide for Support at Home

• NotebookLM expands video & audio summaries to 80 languages

^{LATEST DEVELOPMENTS}

THE FUTURE OF AGED CARE

💡 Toolkit for AI Integration in Aged Care

In brief: I am pleased to share a new sector-specific toolkit (developed by the AI Adoption in Aged Care Workgroup with support from MCCSA) that equips aged care providers with a structured framework and five practical tools to integrate AI responsibly into their operations. I was fortunate to co-author this resource with Marina Ritchie (AI Adoption Partner) and Dr Aprille Chua (LASALLE College of the Arts, University of Singapore).

The details:

The toolkit is built around a step-by-step framework with five printable tools:

• AI use-case discovery workshop

• Value assessment template

• Ethics assessment template

• Risk assessment template

• Prioritisation roadmap

Access the toolkit here

The launch webinar, hosted by Ageing Australia, drew strong interest with more than 350 registrations from around the country. The recorded session — now available on YouTube — walks providers through the framework step by step, demonstrating how it can be applied in practice.

Why it matters: Aged care providers face sharper pressures around coordination, documentation, and compliance. Many are considering AI to ease the load — but adoption without structure risks wasted effort, privacy pitfalls, or misalignment with care values.

This toolkit provides a grounded entry point: it helps teams identify where AI genuinely adds value, assess risks before they escalate, and make prioritisation decisions based on organisational goals, and in ways that are transparent, low-risk, and aligned with sector standards.

^{COMING UP}

🎤 THIS WEEK |  Invox’s National CHSP Conference 2025: AI & the Human at the Centre
Join Invox’s CHSP Conference in Melbourne (4–5 Sept). The conference promises to bring together sharp minds, innovators, and sector leaders for two days of practical insights and strategy. On the first day (4 September) I’ll be presenting on AI in Aged Care—looking at tools, ethics, and why people need to stay at the centre. If you’re attending, connect with me on LinkedIn and let’s meet in person!

📍 In-person & online, Melbourne
📅 See the program and register

🚀 COMING UP | AI Leadership in Aged Care – Workforce Capability Evening
On Monday 29 September, the evening before the Ageing Australia National Conference, Ausmed hosts Australia’s first AI leadership event dedicated to workforce capability in aged care. This exclusive gathering brings together 100 sector leaders at the SkyPoint Observation Deck, Gold Coast, to explore how AI is reshaping aged care operations, workforce, and leadership.

I’ll be giving the opening address, joined by speakers from Anglicare, Regis, Ausmed, and others, sharing real strategies and lessons from the frontlines of AI adoption. Expect candid insights, practical takeaways, and connections with peers shaping the future of AI in care.

📍 SkyPoint Observation Deck, Gold Coast
📅 Read more and register

🧩 LATER THIS MONTH | Free Webinar: AI in Care Settings
Artificial intelligence is entering care environments in new ways—supporting wellbeing, reducing isolation, and streamlining workflows. But with these opportunities come ethical and practical questions. This webinar on Tuesday 30 September will introduce core concepts, risks, and opportunities, with a focus on practical applications. Topics include: responsible, people-centred implementation strategies; evaluating pilots and outcomes; and addressing common misconceptions about AI in care.

📍 Online | Hosted by Anglicare NSW
📅 Read more and register

^{QUICK HITS}

🧭 AI in aged care is learning from patterns and historical data, but what happens when said data is biased? With 28% of aged care recipients coming from CALD backgrounds, biased AI systems may reinforce harmful assumptions about pain, behaviour, diet, and family involvement. In an article published on Ausmed Toolbox, Nathan Field outlines where cultural bias can creep in—from pain scores to meal planning—and how to fix it.

📋 Last week, the National AI Centre released the Australian Responsible AI Index 2025, providing a clear snapshot of how organisations are approaching responsible AI. The findings show Australia’s in motion, but not yet mature, with a score of 44/100. Encouragingly, the Index highlights that responsible AI brings concrete benefits. Organisations utilising AI reported 60% improved customer experience, 56% enhanced employee engagement, and 47% real productivity gains. However, one finding should give pause: 78% of organisations believe their AI aligns with ethical principles, yet only 29% have practices to back this up.

🧠 AI tools can lift performance—but what happens when we switch them off? A recent study in The Lancet observed gastroenterologists using AI for polyp detection. Their success rates improved with the technology, but dropped below baseline once it was removed. This “AI rebound” effect is now showing up in medicine, driving, and even creative work—where heavy reliance on AI leaves people less sharp without it. The piece argues that to avoid this unintended erosion of human skill, we need better design practices: alternating AI-on/off sessions, rewarding unaided performance, and training for human-first decision-making.

🤖 The University of Sydney has received $1.13 million through the ARC Future Fellowships program to investigate how AI can reduce loneliness and promote inclusion in aged care. Running until 2029, the project will map current and potential uses of AI in social care, guided by aged care stakeholders. The goal is to build equitable, collaborative approaches that strengthen human care while addressing rising social isolation among older Australians.

🗂️ In case you missed it, the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing has released an updated guide on the digital changes coming with the new Aged Care Act from 1 November 2025. It sets out what providers need to know about using GPMS, My Aged Care, and the Aged Care Provider Portal for registration, compliance, pricing, and payments. This is essential reading for all providers preparing for Support at Home and the transition to Registered Provider status.

🌍 NotebookLM now supports Video Overviews in 80 languages (!), expanding access to summarised notebook content beyond English. Audio Overviews in those languages are also being upgraded to offer more detailed, connected summaries—moving closer to the structure and depth of the English versions. These changes aim to support broader use across learning, research, and content review tasks. See below how to change the language output and try it for yourself.

I'm not here to hype AI. I'm here to help you understand it, use it, and learn as it evolves. Whether you're testing a new tool, using it to lighten your workload, or keeping pace with the changes, I hope you found something here worth your time.

Feel free to forward this to your network or share it with your team.

See you next Tuesday,
George