Spending on technology products and services in Australia is forecast to total $93.7 billion this year - up 3 percent from 2018 - and to grow 4.6 percent to reach almost $98 billion in 2020, in contrast to a global slowdown in IT spending forecast by Gartner.

The number of people with disabilities who are employed will triply by 2023 because artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies will reduce barriers to access, the technology research firm Gartner has predicted as part of its forecast for IT organisations and users in 2020 and beyond.

A lack of relevant skills, fear of the unknown and the quality of data produced by AI are three factors that could impede the adoption of artificial intelligence by businesses, the technology research firm Gartner says.