Launch of the AIML Shop: New initiative turns innovative research concepts into impactful commercial products
In June 2025, AIML announced the launch of the AIML Shop, a remarkable, cutting-edge initiative that leverages AIML’s world-class academic research and engineering capabilities to transform research concepts into adoptable, open-source, and commercial products.
In development since late 2023, AIML Shop is an initiative of AIML’s Centre for Augmented Reasoning (CAR), which is funded by the Department of Education. CAR has also provided operational support to the AIML Shop with AIML’s Industry Solutions team supplying extensive technical support to the project as well.
“Much like a shopfront, [AIML Shop] presents software tools—either as source code or its functional outputs—on a publicly accessible website,” said Dr Nisha Schwarz, CAR Program Manager, who provided both technical and managerial oversight to get the AIML Shop up and running. “These tools can be explored by external stakeholders, customised to their needs, and purchased for broader application.”
AIML Shop’s goal is to enhances AIML's world-class research by making advanced tools, such as machine learning models and software solutions, accessible for industry adoption. This not only promotes the practical application of research but also supports AIML researchers and engineers in expanding their entrepreneurship skills and creating a track record of product development.
“The Shop exists to shorten the distance between a breakthrough and a business outcome,” said AIML Engineering Manager, Jonathon Read. “It democratises access to advanced machine learning ML so [that] small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and public‑sector teams aren’t locked out by cost or complexity.”
“The site helps us to cultivate an entrepreneurial mindset inside AIML, so that a student who publishes a top‑tier Conference on Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition (CVPR) paper also learns go‑to‑market basics,” Read continued. “It also showcases South Australian innovation on a global stage, positioning Lot Fourteen as a go‑to hub for applied AI.”
Dr Nisha Schwarz, CAR Program Manager
By fostering entrepreneurialism within the research community, AIML Shop aims to reward innovation, support future commercialisation efforts, and solidify AIML's position as a leader in translating academic research into real-world solutions.
Purchase customisable code
Visitors to the AIML Shop are provided with a list of ‘products’ that are actually commercial or academic licenses to purchase code from companies. Once they’ve purchased the license, users are then able to customise and adapt the code to suit the unique needs of their organisations.
There are currently nine ‘products’ on the AIML Shop, focused on everything from building and deploying intelligent document search capabilities to identifying and correcting mislabelled data. Each product on the AIML Shop undergoes a rigorous screening process before it is added to the page.
“Getting the first nine products onto the AIML Shop required significant collaboration and effort from the engineering team and both past and present engineering managers,” said Schwarz. “Their work involved refining and adapting research outputs to meet the expectations and needs of [our] technically savvy audience.”
“A formal submission process was established; if the submission was deemed sufficiently innovative, it was escalated [and] presented to the Innovation Fund Advisory Committee,” she continued. “The committee assessed each proposal based on its novelty, feasibility, and resource requirements. Out of approximately 30 initial submissions, nine met the criteria and were selected for the launch.”
‘Research‑grade depth and product‑grade polish’
“A lot of universities talk about ‘commercialisation’, but very few host an always‑on storefront that lets industry download, license, and deploy ML tools the same day,” said Read.
Jonathon Read, AIML Engineering Manager
“What I like about AIML shop is that it has research‑grade depth and product‑grade polish,” he said. “I also like the dual‑license model [that allows] educators and non‑profits [to] experiment for free, while commercial users can unlock support, no drawn‑out tech‑transfer negotiations.”
“AIML Shop is only a few products old, yet those first launches already give our engineers a direct runway from lab to marketplace,” Read continued. “By releasing open‑source where we can, we aren’t just shipping code, we’re laying the [foundation] for an ecosystem where every new contribution accelerates the next and helps shape the future of machine learning.”
Non-commercial users can utilise the AIML Shop free of charge, ensuring further research and democratising access for educators and researchers worldwide. As a research institute, this was critical to AIML’s long-term goals for the initiative.
“Over the next few years, I would like to see the AIML Shop become a widely adopted platform across AIML, for researchers, engineers, and students alike,” said Shwarz. “Ideally, it would become a standard avenue for showcasing innovations, receiving real-world feedback, and connecting with potential users or commercial partners.”
“I also see the potential to launch more within the shop including free services that align with the aims of both AIML and [the] University to help AI adoption in Australia flourish as a whole,” said Read. “A partner marketplace would be great too where local startups can list plug‑ins and support services, turning the Shop into an ecosystem, not just a store.”
To access the AIML Shop, please visit https://www.adelaide.edu.au/aiml/our-key-initiatives/aiml-shop