Jacinda Ardern backs the AI revolution

Kia ora! Welcome to New Zealand’s weekly roundup of AI news, events, jobs and education.

Happy ANZAC Day 🇳🇿🇦🇺

We've got news! The new AI Corner project we hinted at? It's happening.

We're launching a podcast in the coming weeks to talk with the brilliant minds driving AI across Aotearoa's business, government, research and startup ecosystem.

Our guest list is brimming with seriously clever and driven Kiwis.

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Happy reading ✌️

This week’s highlights:
⛳ Golf gets an AI caddie
🔮 Future Melbourne takes shape
🤖 10 perspectives on Aotearoa’s AI future
🎙️ AI radio host fools listeners
🏫 Westlake Girls' AI blueprint
🌾 Ballance's new farm nutrient tech
🤝 Ardern: jobs will change in the AI era

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NZ ECOSYSTEM

🤖 10 perspectives on Aotearoa’s AI future

📣 Word On The Street: Newly published collection features 10 diverse perspectives on ensuring AI benefits all New Zealanders, not just corporations and tech giants.

🔍 Zooming In:

• Without safeguards, AI "amplifies profits for a few and harms workers”, cautions Amanda Reilly.

• Joy Liddicoat urges we need "light-touch regulation with strong early warning systems" to protect privacy rights and drive innovation.

• Dr. Karaitiana Taiuru calls for "sovereign Aotearoa AI system based on Te Tiriti and tikanga Māori” otherwise Māori "risk further digital marginalisation".

🏘️ Our Take: This collection presents a crucial counterbalance to Silicon Valley techno-optimism, and shows how AI's impact on Kiwis will be determined by collective decisions, not technological inevitability. The authors make clear that meaningful consultation with workers, protection of Māori data sovereignty, and regulation that balances innovation with human wellbeing will determine whether AI truly benefits all New Zealanders or just deepens existing inequalities.

EDUCATION SECTOR

🏫 Westlake Girls' maps blueprint for school AI integration

📣 Word On The Street: Susana Tomaz launches comprehensive AI education framework putting student privacy and teacher-led learning first at Westlake Girls’.

🔍 Zooming In:

• Implementation guided by UNESCO AI Competency Frameworks and SAIL Framework to track impact, with students directly involved as co-creators.

• Strict privacy protocols established, including mandatory parental consent and transparent risk assessment, through a risk assessment conducted with IT to prioritise security, transparency and data protection.

• AI integration designed to create more time for deeper human connection, not more screen time, with teachers positioned as "metacognition coaches".

🏘️ Our Take: This pioneering approach from a Kiwi high school offers a practical blueprint for schools nationwide grappling with AI integration. By focusing on human-centred learning rather than getting distracted by shiny new tools, Westlake Girls' shows how proper guardrails and intentional implementation can enhance rather than replace meaningful educational experiences, while keeping students and parents informed on the journey.

NZ ECOSYSTEM

🤝 Jacinda Ardern: jobs will change, not disappear in AI era

📣 Word On The Street: Former NZ PM calls to shift AI discourse from fear to opportunity.

🔍 Zooming In:

• Workers' AI fears stem from "past experiences of changes that have maybe failed them," says Ardern.

• Governments should provide "state-level income insurance and lifelong learning programmes" to ease transition.

• Citizens more likely to embrace AI with "the guarantee and backing of their own government."

🏘️ Our Take: Whichever way you lean politically, Ardern’s balanced approach to AI offers a refreshing perspective for Kiwi businesses navigating the AI revolution. By emphasising the continued value of human workers while acknowledging the need for support systems during transition, she provides a framework that could help NZ maintain its reputation for innovative but human-centered technology adoption. Her call for transparency and clarity around AI's implementation could serve as a model for businesses looking to bring their teams along on the AI journey.

🥝 Other Kiwi Bites

🌾 Tech transforms farm nutrient use. Ballance's new SpreadWise tool combines AI and geospatial mapping to help NZ farmers save up to 10% on nutrients by automatically identifying farm features where additional application isn't needed.
1-min read.

🛡️ Defence embraces AI with caution. NZ has formally stated its position on military AI use, confirming the NZDF will pursue AI opportunities for intelligence and operations while insisting on meaningful human control and legal compliance.
2-min read.

👩‍💼 Interns get AI superpowers. Tech expert Serge Van Dam says junior professionals using AI can now perform senior-level work "better and faster".
3-min read.

🔒 Lotto NZ tackles AI security. Our national lottery is implementing safeguards for AI use, with GM Raj Hit telling the World Lottery Association that, in one instance, they've chosen Microsoft's restricted Co-pilot over ChatGPT to prevent sensitive data being shared publicly.
2-min read.

💻 MSD's AI benefit system sparks debate. The Government's plan to automate Jobseeker benefit renewals while halving the eligibility period to six months has AI experts warning about potential "computer says no" discrimination against Māori and vulnerable communities.
4-min read.

🛍️ What’s Left On The Shelf

• AI therapy tools, at just $9.99 a month, impress Clinical psychologist.
  3-min read.

• AI is "a real staple of a lot of desk jobs". 91% use it, says Robert Half.
  4-min listen.

• Kiwi-led Futureverse acquires Candy Digital, bringing AI immersive experiences to major brands like MLB & DC Comics.
  3-min read.

🦘 From Across the Ditch

🔮 Future Melbourne takes shape. Melbourne leads the integration of AI with IoT and data analytics, tackling real-time water quality forecasting and illegal waste dumping. According to Deloitte's report, 83% of cities will utilise AI technology within three years, with Melbourne recognised for its AI-enabled sustainability initiatives
5-min read.

🎙️ AI host fools listeners for six-months. Sydney radio station CADA has been using an AI-generated presenter named "Thy" without disclosure. The artificial host, created using ElevenLabs technology with the voice and likeness of an ARN finance employee, has been reaching 72,000 listeners.
3-min read.

🗳️ AI voting advice problematic. Australian political figures are warning voters against using ChatGPT to determine their voting preferences in the upcoming federal election. Former deputy PM Kim Beazley called the practice "undesirable," while UWA ethics professor Mayowa Babalola labeled it "not ethical," despite the technology's ability to recommend candidates based on simple demographic inputs.
2-min read.

💧 AI predicts water quality. UTS data scientists have built AI tools that predict water quality in dams, rivers and creeks feeding Australia's largest cities with remarkable accuracy. The NSW iAwards-winning technology gives Sydney and Melbourne water utilities critical advance notice of quality changes, enabling proactive treatment adjustments and better management during weather events.
6-min read.

⛳ Golf gets an AI caddie. Australian tech entrepreneur Clive Mayhew has launched Golf.ai, a comprehensive AI assistant delivering real-time recommendations and game improvement tips. The system partners with Emajin Golf's network of 7,500 executives (94% being C-suite leaders) to demonstrate AI's practical applications both on the fairway and in the boardroom.
5-min read.

🌍 The News from Global

🐆 AI aims to protect endangered snow leopards. Wildlife conservationists are deploying AI-powered cameras in Pakistan's Gilgit-Baltistan region to protect snow leopards and local livestock. The World Wide Fund for Nature is testing a system that can detect snow leopards and send text alerts to villagers, addressing the critical decline of these rare predators.
4-min read.

🥚 AI transforms egg farming efficiency. The UK government has awarded £2.6m to develop an AI system that monitors hen welfare and farm productivity. AI systems detect hen stress through sound analysis, potentially improving animal welfare.
2-min read.

🌐 Dubai embraces AI-powered future Dubai aims to assess government entities based on AI integration and celebrate companies advancing the AI economy. The city expects those who don't embrace AI to fall behind in the global technological landscape.
5-min read.

🗿 Edinburgh statues dance with AI magic. AI enables a filmmaker to breathe motion into Edinburgh's static monuments, generating thousands of views. The technology promises to democratise storytelling across creative industries.
2-min watch.

🛫 AI elevates Singapore Airlines experience. OpenAI and Singapore Airlines join forces to integrate AI across airline operations and customer interactions. The partnership promises to optimise everything from booking to crew scheduling through intelligent technologies.
5-min read.

🌏 Tech Updates You Should Know

• OpenAI: Rolls out "Memory with Search" — ChatGPT now personalises web searches using your past chats. Expands Deep Research to free users with o4-mini. Moves to release a downloadable reasoning model. ChatGPT Search nears EU’s 45M user threshold for tighter regulatory oversight.

• Google: OpenAI eyes Chrome acquisition if DOJ forces Google to divest. Debuts DeepMind’s Astra AI (universal AI assistant). Pushes "Era of Experience" vision — AI learning directly from real-world interaction without human input. Gemini chatbot hits 350M users. Google faces DOJ antitrust heat over Gemini default tactics in search, pushing users towards its products. YouTube tests Music AI Sandbox for live music creation.

• Anthropic: Predicts AI virtual employees by next year. Launches "model welfare" research into AI consciousness risks. Claude models integrated deeper into Google Workspace.

• Microsoft: Releases AI agents that operate GUIs — scheduling, doc creation, navigation. Expands Copilot and keeps $75B AI investment on track despite macro pressure.

• Apple & Meta: Slapped with $800M EU fines under DMA rules. Apple penalised for anti-steering, Meta for pay-or-consent ad models. Both appealing.

📅 AI Events in New Zealand

From one of our quietest weeks on record to a smorgasbord of AI innovation, New Zealand is buzzing with 19 exciting events this week incl. some of the brightest AI minds descending on Auckland for two global summits.

This week’s featured events - (we couldn’t pick just one!):

• Auckland - AI and the Future of Work, 1 May: Dr. Paul Henderson unpacks AI's impact on industries and roles at risk. Essential for business leaders aiming to future-proof their strategies. Cost $20.

• Auckland - M2 AI Summit: 30 Apr: Dive into AI's transformative potential with 750 business leaders, C-suite networking, expert insights & all-inclusive hospitality, cost from $699. See you there?

💼  AI Roles Around Aotearoa

Picklist of 🌶️ HOT 🌶️ roles in AI.

• Finance Manager, Data and Systems - Genesis, Auckland

• Technical Specialist - Aimer Farming, Hamilton

• TSenior Environmental Data Analyst - Northland Regional Council, Whangarei

🤦‍♂️ AI Fail Of The Week

We all love AI, but it’s certainly far from perfect…

That’s all for this week!

Got news, events, or jobs? Hit reply (or, link here) — we love spotlighting what's happening across Aotearoa!

Until next week,

👋 Mike & Erin