New Zealand’s biggest artificial intelligence (AI) industry group says although more of us are using AI every day, trust is not keeping pace with uptake.
The AI Forum New Zealand today published its AI Blueprint for New Zealand1, a significant update on the previous version from 2024. The work included a review of 28 separate reports which showed AI adoption rates ranging from 40 to 80 percent, depending on survey methodology. It found corporate and information workers are adopting AI at high rates, while broader population uptake is lower, especially compared to global measures.
“On the surface, this can make the national picture look contradictory. But a closer look shows a consistent story emerging,” says Forum Executive Director Madeline Newman.
“Many New Zealanders now encounter AI in their daily lives, and a growing number are using it at work in practical ways, particularly for routine tasks and information processing. More intensive or deeply integrated use remains less common, but it is increasing. Importantly, across almost all studies, individuals and organisations consistently report positive productivity gains including time savings and efficiency gains, even where overall use is still relatively light or informal.
“However, trust has not kept pace with uptake. Concerns about privacy, security, IP, bias, job impacts, and transparency are persistent, including among people who already use AI tools. In this sense, New Zealand sits in an uncomfortable position: high-use but low-trust.”
AI Forum Chair Dr Mahsa McCauley says the data suggest the next phase of AI adoption won’t be determined by access to technology alone. It will be shaped by how well organisations, government, and society address trust, skills, and governance alongside continued use.
The Forum’s vision is for Aotearoa, by 2030, to be a global leader for innovative, responsible and inclusive AI, and to be globally recognised for harnessing the power of AI for the benefit of all New Zealanders.
McCauley says that to help realise this vision, the Forum is already responding to the Blueprint’s findings.
Building on its AI in Action productivity research series from 2024/2025, the Forum plans to combine its own independent research with an industry-wide review of existing reports and questionnaires from major generative AI providers.
“Our intention is to provide an uncluttered source of truth on AI adoption and use in Aotearoa. We’re also forming a new, dedicated workstream addressing social licence.
“Planning for 2030 also means looking beyond AI in isolation and preparing for the next wave. We need to consider how it intersects with other rapidly advancing technologies, particularly quantum, molecular biology and robotics, and what this convergence means for Aotearoa.”
Newman says that outside of the banking sector, many organisations are unprepared for this shift.
“It’s a gap we can’t afford to leave unfilled. It’s why post-quantum readiness is an area that the AI Forum will investigate in 2026 in collaboration with Tech New Zealand’s communities.”
1Link: https://aiforum.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/NZT009-AI_Blueprint_Report-v05.pdf
About the AI Forum New Zealand | Te Kāhui Atamai Iahiko o Aotearoa
The AI Forum New Zealand is the country’s leading voice for artificial intelligence, bringing together more than 280 members from industry, academia, government, and civil society to shape our AI future. Founded in 2017, the Forum is one of the largest of the 16 communities that make up Tech New Zealand.
Each year the Forum runs dozens of events – including the AI Summit, the AI in Creative Industries Summit, and the nationwide AI Hackathon Festival – makes submissions to government and international agencies, and publishes research reports on AI’s impact on productivity.