Last week, the New Zealand government published their "Approach to Work on Artificial Intelligence." While we are behind in this area, it’s imperative to develop policies and programs rapidly to prepare our people and organizations for an AI-enabled future.

Here are the key points I took away:

AI to Boost Innovation and Productivity

📈 We support increased use of AI in New Zealand to boost innovation and productivity, strengthen our economy, and deliver more effective public services.

Proportionate, Risk-Based AI Regulation

🛡 We'll take a proportionate, risk-based approach to AI regulation, utilizing existing regulations for privacy, consumer protection, and human rights rather than creating new ones.

Commitment to International AI Principles

🌏 We're committed to following the OECD AI Principles and participating in international AI conversations around policy, use, and regulation.

This is crucial; we need to learn from our partners. For instance, Singapore and Australia have committed funds to upskilling people for AI-enabled work.

Increasing AI Use in Public Services

🏨 We need to increase AI use in public services to deliver better, more innovative, and efficient services.

Developing an AI Roadmap

🗺 We will develop a Roadmap to support AI use and provide guidance to businesses in the private sector.

I’d like to see this Roadmap include awareness and capability programs for all New Zealanders to develop a base level of digital literacy. This would help address concerns about AI and enable individuals for meaningful and well-paid work in the future.

Addressing Infrastructure Challenges

We also need to be honest about the current infrastructure issues. There are communities in New Zealand with limited access to stable internet connections because electricity services are intermittent.

What’s the plan to ensure equitable access to AI when it relies on those basic rights being delivered in the first place?

Path to AI Leadership

New Zealand could be a world leader in this space; we have a small population and a Number 8 wire mentality. Endless possibilities exist if we can lead in use of transparent and ethical AI that everyone can benefit from.