AI Blueprint for Aotearoa Working Group

Providing thought leadership on what an AI Blueprint for Aotearoa New Zealand might look like.

The development and application of AI technologies presents huge opportunities for Aotearoa New Zealand. More than ever, the strategic decisions we make now about its governance, regulation and implementation will set the groundwork for decades to come.

Why we have formed.

We want to assist Aotearoa New Zealand to:

1. develop and foster an ecosystem that empowers companies to develop innovative AI solutions for deployment and sale globally as well as for domestic use.
2. promote the adoption of ethical and innovative AI solutions, including the AI Forum’s own work, for example aigovernance.nz.
3. build the trust needed to assure cultural and societal impacts associated with AI are managed for the benefit of all New Zealanders.  

The AI Forum continues to work hard to ensure there are toolsets, frameworks, information and stories available to provide the Aotearoa New Zealand context for AI. 

We have established this working group to provide thought leadership on what an AI Blueprint for Aotearoa New Zealand might look like, and, working with government, to agree the practical activities industry and academia might engage in to support the adoption of AI, and creation of a globally focused AI ecosystem, here in Aotearoa New Zealand.

In line with the AI Forum’s mission to harness the power of AI to enable a prosperous, inclusive and equitable future in Aotearoa, Te Ao Māori is an integral part of our approach.  

Please view our terms of reference here.

REPORT – AI Blueprint for Aotearoa New Zealand

July 2024 | This paper presents a strategy to highlight current industry investments in AI in Aotearoa and
help guide strategic investments over the next five years to support AI technologies. It
proposes a mechanism to leverage existing industry initiatives and programmes to help drive
results and achieve our shared vision.

REPORT – Update AI Blueprint for Aotearoa New Zealand

February 2025 | This report provides progress updates from all six focus sectors; and updates the strategic pillars to align more closely with both the work that the AI Forum has been doing and with the government’s current thinking.

LUNCHTIME WEBINARS

7 July and 14 July webinars feature progress updates from the Working Group and the six sector Leads.

4 August webinar was focused on the AI Forum’s thoughts on NZ’s AI Strategy and included a segment from Minister Shane Reti

AI IN ACTION

This is original independent research carried out every 6 months into the impact of AI on productivity in Aotearoa New Zealand. Our survey captures how AI is evolving across the country – benchmarking progress, uncovering new insights and tracking shifts in how AI shapes industries and sectors in Aotearoa. We partner with Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington to ensure the survey, data and analysis is both independent and empirically sound.

Do you want to get involved?

We meet regularly, working together to agree on our approach and actions. If you are interested in getting involved please get in touch here.

If you are not a member and would like to join, you can become a member here.

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Working Group

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