Kāhui Māori Atamai Iahiko:
Māori Artificial Intelligence Advisory Panel

Kāhui Māori Atamai Iahiko

Māori Artificial Intelligence Advisory Panel

The AI Forum NZ is committed to our purpose to ensure that we embed Te Ao Māori in our work.  To ensure that Māori has a voice, we are establishing ‘Te Kāhui Māori Atamai Iahiko’  a Māori Advisory Panel in AI.  The role of the panel will be to advise and support our organisation with ensuring our a Te Ao Māori purpose and explore the impact of AI to Māori peoples.  Our Advisory panel will ensure that the voices of Māori will be heard bringing to life our commitment to help harness the power of AI to enable a prosperous, inclusive and equitable future Aotearoa.

Meet Our Advisory Panel:

Megan Tapsell | AI Forum Chair

She has a background in Law and Māori, and has predominantly worked in the finance and technology industry across the UK and NZ for the last 19 years. Megan holds the role of Head of Technology for Retail, Business Banking & Wealth at ANZ NZ.  She is predominately passionate in Māori matauranga (knowledge) in the workplace and local community, actively participating tutoring kapahaka at the local school and conducting language lessons within the workplace. She additionally has a role on the Advisory Board of the Navilluso which is part of the iMoko foundation. Megan aso acts as a member on the Māori sub-committee for the AI Forum.

Dr Karaitiana Taiuru | Kāi Tahu/ Ngāti Kahungunu/Ngāti Toa

Mātauranga & Kaupapa Māori Authority/Consultant/Researcher & Tikanga Ethicist with: Justice/Health/Data/Robotics & AI

A nationally recognised Mātauranga and Māori IP expert, while also internationally recognised by academics and media with expertise in: Data Sovereignty, Maori Ethics with emerging technologies, and Digital Colonisation.My recognised expertise in Intellectual Property Rights utilises my upbringing in te Ao Māori.

Sara Cole Stratton | Founder of Māori Lab – Ngāti Hine, Ngāti Kahu – Bringing Indigenous Know-how, Know-WHY to create ethical, responsible, inclusive AI systems.

Having finished my Masters, “A Māori lens on digital technology”, last year, coupled with the work on the World Economic Forum’s Future Council, AI Fairness, and with the reality of a Covid-19 world, I am convinced that Māori and indigenous values and knowledge are desperately needed to lead the way to new horizons, just as we were ready 180 years ago. Our unchanging ‘ethics’, values of sustainable relationships, planet, people, and profit to drive that purpose, are what are being looked for in corporations, Governments, individuals, as they look for guidance in this disruptive world. And as we all go forward in this 4th Industrial Revolution of AI, who better to lead the way to harnessing this mighty technology than those who have harnessing great power in our DNA.


“Artificial intelligence has the potential to save lives and to protect our earth mother, Papatūānuku, but we can’t help but feel like we’ve seen this before. Last time a white man came here with such promises, they were never kept. This is yet another contact period, and we have grown weary, because tangata whenua fears are often the first to be silenced.”

Arihia Hall | Ngā Hinepūkōrero Spoken Word
AI Summit 2022