What a year!
As we head into the festive season, we’re still running at full noise, with planning for 2026 well underway.
Thank you to all of our 200+ contributors this year – your work is emphatically making a big difference!
..and an extra big thank you to our Executive Council members (new and old), our Kahui Māori, the Working Group Chairs and workstream leads, and the team in the background who help keep this wagon on the road.
Catch up on 2025 in our latest membership update.
What to expect in 2026?
January: International AI Safety Report 2026
This year, we were one of only 100 organisations globally asked to contribute and comment on the International AI Safety Report 2026. In January, the second full edition of the report will be launched, providing scientifically defensible descriptions and mitigations for AI risks.
The second key update to this report is available now
February: AI Blueprint Refresh + Launch Activities
After a year of substantial progress, this month we ran our AI Blueprint refresh workshop. A wealth of thinking, strategising and planning has emerged, which we will be reviewing during the festive break. Watch out for the refresh to emerge in late February, launched with discussion events across Aotearoa as we bring the latest challenges to life.
In the meantime, check out our 2025 update to the Blueprint here.
May: Our Third Annual AI in Creative Industries 2-Day Summit
In planning for the first week in May, join us for this two-day event in Auckland and Wellington that celebrates New Zealand’s culture and creatives. While promoting our fantastic creatives, it also doesn’t shy away from those difficult discussions about hard-to-solve issues at the intersection between creativity and AI.
Stay tuned for the official announcement in the new year.
May: Techweek26
Techweek needs no introduction. Aotearoa New Zealand’s national festival for innovation returns 18 – 24 May, with an amazing array of events happening all across the motu.
Stay tuned for the call for event submission in the new year.
August: AI Hackathon Festival
Set to be held 3-10 August, our 5th annual Aotearoa-wide AI Hackathon Festival, bringing AI to life for everyone from absolute beginners to the deeply tech amongst us – solving real-world problems with AI for Good.
Register your interest to be the first to here where the Hackathons are happening in 2026.
September: Aotearoa AI Summit
Recognised as New Zealand’s premier AI event, this will be our 5th annual Aotearoa AI Summit — and in 2026, for the first time, we’ll be bringing the conversations to Wellington!
Tickets go on sale soon. Subscribe here for all the latest summit announcements
November: Aotearoa AI Awards
Join us in celebrating all that is amazing about our AI talent in Aotearoa, and the great things that they do!
Check here for all the latest updates on the 2026 event!
Is that all?…
Amongst all that, we will be bringing you new content with at least three new microsites for our working groups due to go live in early 2026, a refreshed Productivity Report, and last but certainly not least, our new membership portal, helping our members to become more connected and to make it easier to be more involved.
Want to be involved and contribute? Become a member—or, if you already are, reach out!
Ngā mihi
Madeline Newman
Executive Director, AI Forum NZ