Oracle NetSuite rolls out AI tools across Australia

Oracle NetSuite has begun rolling out NetSuite Next and Ask Oracle across Australia and New Zealand, alongside customer examples such as Australian retailer Linen House expanding its use of the software.

Described by NetSuite as its biggest update since 1998, the release brings new artificial intelligence tools to its business management software. Among them is Ask Oracle, a conversational assistant that lets users query business data in natural language within the existing NetSuite environment.

At the same time, Linen House said it is using NetSuite to support a broader shift from wholesale to omnichannel retail. The Melbourne-founded bedding and homewares business now operates 24 stores across Australia and employs about 250 people.

As the retailer expanded across stores, eCommerce and dropshipping, its previous systems struggled with the added complexity. NetSuite now connects finance, procurement, inventory and order management across the business, helping Linen House manage thousands of orders a day during peak periods and sell close to two million units a year.

"Moving to an omnichannel retail business model added significant complexity, and our systems were making it hard to keep up with demand," said Tez Osman, chief technology officer at Linen House. "NetSuite has given us a single source of truth that allows us to run the business more efficiently. We can now set up technology for new stores in minutes instead of weeks. Whether it's a new store, a new marketplace or a new AI capability, we can say yes to the business quickly instead of costing it out and shelving it. This helps us continue to expand our business and reach more customers."

Linen House is also using NetSuite AI Connector Service to link an AI service to NetSuite data for analysis while keeping existing data governance and security controls in place.

AI rollout

Ask Oracle is designed to answer questions based on a customer's NetSuite data without requiring users to move through multiple screens or build reports. It operates within existing roles, permissions and business rules, and shows users how answers were generated.

NetSuite Next adds a broader set of AI features across the software, including AI Workspaces, AI Portlets, SuiteSkills, industry-specific SuiteAgents, SuiteAgent Studio, SuiteFlow Agents and SuiteAgent Management Workspace.

According to NetSuite, the additions are intended to automate routine work, identify issues earlier and support action across business processes. They are also part of what the company describes as an autonomous suite, in which AI helps coordinate and complete work across functions rather than only assisting with individual tasks.

Other product developments announced alongside the rollout include Autonomous Suite, which combines several of the new tools in one package, and SuiteSkills, a set of prebuilt business skills that combine financial and operational data with process knowledge and AI reasoning. NetSuite also introduced SuiteAgents for Industries, which apply those functions to sector-specific workflows.

In construction, NetSuite outlined a planned accounting product intended to connect job costs, billing and financial management for finance and project teams. The software is aimed at improving project oversight, reducing manual work and keeping project activity aligned with billing.

Scott Wiltshire, vice president and general manager for Australia and New Zealand at Oracle NetSuite, linked the Linen House deployment to broader trends among retailers operating across multiple channels.

"As retailers expand across more channels, business processes that span multiple systems add friction, cost and complexity," said Scott Wiltshire, vice president and general manager for Australia and New Zealand at Oracle NetSuite. "By bringing its finance and operations together on NetSuite, Linen House has reduced complexity, improved efficiency and built a stronger foundation for continued growth."

Wiltshire also set out the regional case for the AI rollout, arguing that businesses in Australia and New Zealand are dealing with higher costs, productivity pressure and operational complexity. He said the new tools are intended to help customers get more from systems they already use rather than adding another separate layer of software.

"AI isn't about adding another layer of technology. It's about getting more from the systems you already rely on, reducing manual work, and creating capacity to grow. With NetSuite Next and Ask Oracle, we're helping customers take that next step by bringing more advanced AI directly into the way their businesses operate," said Wiltshire.