The AI Forum of New Zealand, in partnership with Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington, is advancing its research into the impact of AI on productivity in Aotearoa New Zealand.
With conflicting speculation and uncertainty, people often ask ‘Who should I believe when it comes to AI?”
“There is a lot of speculation about the impact of AI in our lives and workplaces. This survey and its analysis is produced independently by the team at Victoria in order to produce empirically sound data that can tell us what is really happening.
“Our third survey is now live and we’re inviting New Zealanders to share their experiences and tell us how they are using AI right now,” says Madeline Newman, Executive Director, AI Forum of New Zealand.
“Every six months, our research captures how AI is evolving across the motu, helping us build an AI Index that tracks our growth. We’re able to benchmark our progress and uncover new insights sectors.
“Our first survey showed that of the 70% of respondents who were using AI, 96% had measurable efficiency gains. And while only 7% reported reducing existing workers as a result, six months later our second report revealed 40% of those businesses reported fewer new hires due to AI adoption. This is a good early indicator of the productivity gains made by those organisations.
“We continue to be encouraged to see that almost all respondents reported improved worker efficiency and many experiencing positive financial impacts.
“The early indicators are very positive. As we start to see the impact of AI across different sectors over time it will be interesting to see how our next survey results continue to reveal the evolving landscape of AI in Aotearoa over time.
“Tracking these trends, helps us to support our communities with insights and toolsets like aigovernance.nz that help raise AI literacy, foster trust, drive innovation and ensure AI’s positive impact on our society and economy,” says Newman.
The third survey is now open and participation from businesses across Aotearoa New Zealand, whether they are using AI or not, is strongly encouraged to help us inspire the innovative, responsible and inclusive use of AI for a thriving Aotearoa.
Survey closes Friday 30 June 2025.
FURTHER INFORMATION
Email madeline.newman@aiforum.org.nz to arrange an interview
