Stock image. Image credit: Visual Generation/stock.adobe.com Article By Scott Wiltshire, vice president and general manager, Oracle NetSuite ANZ Manufacturers across Australia are investing in AI, but its value depends on the quality of the operational data behind it. For example, the National AI Centre found that 43 per cent of Australian SMEs had adopted AI between December 2025 and February 2026, yet confidence and trust remain low. For manufacturers, that gap often comes down to inventory.