AI Consulting in Australia

Our AI consultants help you work out where AI will pay off, what to do first and how to do it safely: readiness assessments, strategy and roadmaps, governance and policy, team training and proof of concepts. Because we also build AI systems, the advice is grounded in what actually works in production, and we can deliver it when you're ready.

Updated · Reviewed by the Lightning Ventures team

80+
apps shipped by our team across Australia
2-week
sprints when the advice turns into a build
100%
Australian team, based in Melbourne
Free
first call to scope what you need

Trusted by leading organisations

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AI consulting services

What our AI consultants do

AI consulting helps a business decide where AI will pay off and how to use it safely: a readiness assessment, ranked use cases, a roadmap, governance and training. Pick one service, or run them in order.

01Assess

AI readiness assessment

We look at your processes, systems, data and team, and find where AI would save time or money and where it wouldn't.

Good for
Businesses that know AI matters but don't know where to start.
You leave with
A ranked list of AI use cases, each with the value, the effort and the risk spelled out.

02Plan

AI strategy and roadmap

We turn the best use cases into a plan: what to do first, what waits, what it depends on and how you'll know it worked.

Good for
Leadership teams and boards that need a plan they can approve and fund.
You leave with
A phased roadmap with owners, data needs, success measures and the first project scoped.

03Govern

AI governance, security and policy

We set the rules for how your business uses AI: which tools are allowed, what data can go into them, and where a person must stay in the loop.

Good for
Teams already using ChatGPT, Copilot or Claude without clear rules, and regulated industries.
You leave with
An AI use policy, a risk register for each use case, and data handling rules your team can follow.

04Prove

Proof of concept

Before you commit to a full build, we prove the idea works on your real data, in one or two sprints.

Good for
Use cases where accuracy, cost or adoption is still uncertain.
You leave with
A working prototype, measured results and a clear go or no-go on the full build.

05Enable

AI training and workshops

Hands-on sessions that get your people using AI well: leadership briefings, use-case discovery workshops and team training on the tools you already pay for.

Good for
Teams that have AI licences but little real use, and leaders who need to make decisions about AI.
You leave with
Staff using AI in their daily work, and a shortlist of use cases they found themselves.

06Deliver

Implementation and ongoing advice

When the plan is ready, we build it: AI agents, AI integrations and custom software in two-week sprints. We can also stay on as your ongoing AI advisers.

Good for
Businesses that want the people who wrote the strategy to deliver it.
You leave with
Working AI systems on infrastructure you own, and a team that knows your roadmap.

Consultancy, agency or both?

How AI consultants, AI agencies and Lightning Ventures compare

An AI consultant advises and an AI agency builds. Knowing the difference helps you buy the right thing.

AI consultancyAI agencyLightning Ventures
Main jobStrategy, assessments and adviceBuilding AI systemsBoth, by the same team
What you getA report and a roadmapWorking softwareA roadmap, then working software
Who builds itUsually a different firmThe agencyThe people who wrote the plan
Governance and trainingOften includedOften left to youIncluded in the engagement
Best whenYou need a plan before any spendYou already know what to buildYou want the plan delivered

Already know exactly what you want built? See our AI agency pages for Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.

How an engagement runs

From first call to AI in use

  1. Start

    Free call

    We learn what you want from AI and tell you which kind of help fits: assessment, roadmap, governance or training.

  2. Assess

    Readiness and use cases

    Interviews, process walk-throughs and a look at your systems and data, ending in a ranked list of use cases.

  3. Plan

    Roadmap and rules

    A phased plan with owners and success measures, and the governance your team needs to use AI safely.

  4. Prove

    Proof of concept

    The top use case tested on your real data, so you see results before a larger spend.

  5. Deliver

    Build, train, review

    We build in two-week sprints, train your team, and review the roadmap as results come in.

Need help defining a product rather than an AI program? See product strategy.

Across Australia

AI consultants in your city

Our team is in Melbourne and works with businesses across Australia, with workshops in person where they help and the rest on video.

FAQ

AI consulting questions

Can't see yours? Ask us on a free scoping call.

What does an AI consultant do?

An AI consultant works out where AI will help your business and how to adopt it safely. That usually means a readiness assessment, a ranked list of use cases, a strategy and roadmap, governance rules and team training. Some consultants stop at the advice. We also build what we recommend.

What's the difference between an AI consultant and an AI agency?

An AI consultant advises: strategy, assessments, governance and training. An AI agency builds: AI agents, automation and AI apps. We do both, so the people who plan your AI work are the people who deliver it.

How much does AI consulting cost in Australia?

It depends on what you need, so we don't publish a price list. A readiness assessment or a workshop is a much smaller piece of work than a full roadmap and governance program. We scope it on a free call and give you a written proposal before any work starts.

Do we need an AI strategy before we start?

Not always. If you already know the problem you want solved, a proof of concept can come first. If AI is being used in pockets across the business with no plan, a strategy and governance rules will save you money and risk.

How do I know if my business is ready for AI?

You're ready if you have a process with repeated manual work, data you can get to, and someone who will own the result. A readiness assessment checks those things and tells you what to fix first if you're not there yet.

Can you write an AI policy for our staff?

Yes. We write AI use policies that cover which tools staff can use, what data can go into them, where a person must review the output, and how to report problems. We then train your team on it.

Do you run AI training and workshops?

Yes. We run leadership briefings, use-case discovery workshops and hands-on training on tools like ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot and Claude, in person or online.

Do you work outside Melbourne?

Yes. Our team is in Melbourne and we work with businesses across Australia. Workshops can run in person, and the rest of the engagement runs on video.

Ready to get started?

Book a free 30-minute scoping call. We'll tell you honestly whether we can help.