In the Season 2 opener of What The Tech Podcast (AU), we sat down with Dave Lemphers, CEO and co-founder of Maincode, to ask a question Australia can no longer ignore:
Should Australia build its own AI or stay dependent on Big Tech?
Recorded ahead of Maincode’s public showcase of Matilda, an Australian-developed AI model, this episode cuts through hype to explore what Australian-made AI really means in practice.
We unpacked open-source vs closed models, data sovereignty, AI agents vs chatbots, enterprise readiness, and the real trade-offs between speed, control, and capability. Dave brings a grounded, engineering-first perspective on why many organisations aren’t ready for full autonomy yet and what Australia must do to move from AI consumer to AI builder.
If you care about Australia’s role in the global AI landscape, this episode is for you.
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