Owna rolls out AI daycare platform on Oracle cloud

OWNA has developed an AI-powered daycare intelligence platform using Oracle Cloud Infrastructure Enterprise AI and is rolling it out through a pilot involving hundreds of educators.

The Australian childcare software provider says the platform is designed to reduce administrative work, particularly the creation of daily updates for families. That process can require educators to review large volumes of images and prepare personalised summaries, taking time away from children.

Founded in 2016, OWNA provides childcare management software for operations, compliance, family engagement, childcare subsidies and billing, staff rostering, and reporting. It says its platform is used by more than 4,000 childcare centres across Australia and New Zealand, and also describes itself as supporting more than 3,500 services nationwide.

The new product combines OWNA's existing childcare software with Oracle's cloud and AI tools to help educators organise information, retrieve relevant material, and generate content for family communications.

Pilot phase

In the early pilot, hundreds of educators are using the platform to create updates for families about children's daily activities. The aim is to help services send more timely communications while reducing manual effort.

The software stores information in Oracle Cloud Infrastructure Storage and uses AI tools to sort and retrieve data. OWNA also uses OCI Database with PostgreSQL for vector search, supporting AI-assisted search and content generation within the system.

According to the companies, OWNA has configured the platform's security controls. They say the underlying cloud setup is intended to support additional AI features across the broader childcare management platform.

The move comes as software suppliers across the education and care sectors look for ways to apply generative AI to routine documentation and communication tasks. In childcare settings, providers face regular reporting and compliance demands alongside family expectations for frequent updates on children's learning and wellbeing.

OWNA is targeting a part of the market where administrative load can be difficult to manage because updates are often individualised and created throughout the day. By focusing on those tasks, it is positioning AI as a tool to reduce paperwork rather than replace direct care work.

"Every minute an educator spends on administration is time they could be spending supporting a child's learning, development, and wellbeing," said Kheang Ly, Chief Executive Officer and Founder, OWNA. "Our goal is to give that time back. With OCI Enterprise AI, we can automate time-consuming processes such as creating family updates, allowing educators to focus more of their day on meaningful interactions with children. At the same time, we can help families feel more connected to the important moments in their child's day."

Oracle says the project demonstrates a practical use of AI in a sector that has been a less prominent early adopter than finance, retail, or software development. For Oracle, the deal also supports a broader push to embed its cloud infrastructure in industry-specific applications.

While the announcement focuses on family updates, the underlying approach could extend to other parts of childcare administration, including search, records management, and reporting. OWNA already operates across subsidy administration, compliance, and rostering, all areas that generate large volumes of operational data.

The childcare software market in Australia has become increasingly important as centres manage tight staffing conditions, changing compliance requirements, and ongoing pressure to keep families informed. Technology suppliers have responded by expanding beyond billing and enrolment into communication, workforce, and regulatory tools.

OWNA says the AI platform is intended to fit into existing workflows rather than operate as a separate system. That could matter for childcare providers seeking automation without adding another standalone product for staff to learn and manage.

"OWNA is showing how AI can be applied in a practical way to make a meaningful difference for educators, children, and families," said Stephen Bovis, Regional Managing Director, Australia and New Zealand, Oracle. "With OCI, OWNA has a secure, scalable cloud foundation to bring AI into everyday childcare workflows, assist educators to automate time-consuming tasks, and continue developing new capabilities as its platform grows. This is an excellent example of how Australian organisations can use AI to solve real-world challenges and create better experiences for the communities they serve."