New Zealand's AI Strategy: Investing with confidence
Accelerating Private Sector AI Adoption and Innovation
July 2025
On this page
This is the web version of New Zealand’s Strategy for Artificial Intelligence: Investing with confidence.
Download the PDF version:
New Zealand’s Strategy for Artificial Intelligence: Investing with confidence [PDF, 676 KB]
Read the summary one pager of New Zealand’s Strategy for Artificial Intelligence:
New Zealand’s Strategy for Artificial Intelligence: summary 1-pager [PDF, 170 KB]
New Zealand’s AI Ecosystem
Developed in partnership with the AI Forum New Zealand, this map shows many of the organisations who are working with and investing in AI across the country.
Responsible AI guidance for businesses
The responsible AI guidance for businesses is a voluntary resource to help businesses (including sole traders, non-profits and individual professionals) to realise AI’s benefits through using and developing AI systems in a trustworthy way
In this section
Foreword
Artificial intelligence (AI) represents one of the most significant technological opportunities of our time. For New Zealand, embracing AI is not merely an option, it is essential for maintaining our competitiveness, attracting global talent, and delivering the productivity gains our economy needs to thrive.
Understanding AI’s unique characteristics
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is reshaping the business landscape by enabling new forms of value creation, efficiency, and innovation.
Why New Zealand needs an AI strategy
AI is reshaping economies, industries, and societies at an unprecedented pace.
Uptake focus: New Zealand’s strategic approach
This strategy deliberately emphasises AI adoption and application rather than foundational AI development, reflecting both economic reality and strategic opportunity for New Zealand’s context.
Addressing barriers to AI uptake in New Zealand
Understanding and overcoming the obstacles preventing broader AI adoption is essential for unlocking the benefits that AI offers. Research and stakeholder consultation have identified several interconnected barriers for which the Government is delivering a coordinated response.
International collaboration and investment
New Zealand will continue to engage in the most important global fora on AI governance to influence the responsible development of AI, working closely with partner governments, international organisations, industry, standards bodies, and academic institutions.
Leveraging New Zealand’s Science, Innovation and Technology System
As well as focussing on adoption of AI in the public and private sectors, New Zealand will lean into its strengths in the Science, Innovation and Technology (SI&T) system with respect to AI development.
Conclusion
New Zealand stands at a pivotal moment in the global AI revolution. The evidence is becoming clear: countries that embrace AI proactively will enjoy significant competitive advantages while those that hesitate risk being left behind.