Building a trusted intelligent government in New Zealand

Artificial intelligence is already shaping the daily lives of New Zealanders. Although technology is advancing quickly, research shows that while 81% of Kiwis believe some form of AI regulation is needed, only 34% are currently willing to trust AI. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity.

For AI to succeed in government, the Crown must put governance, transparency and safeguarding structures in place to ensure New Zealanders trust how government is using AI.

A recent report from KPMG International; Intelligent Government, provides a framework for how to achieve this. When viewed through a New Zealand lens, it points to three clear phases: enable, embed and evolve.

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Enable

Government entities should first equip their people for AI adoption. New Zealand’s size and limited resources are a strength here as they allow us to move faster and take an all-of-government approach. The priority should be to set a standardised playbook: a clear direction, and common frameworks and boundaries within which AI can be tested and deployed. Once these are in place, government can trust its people to apply Kiwi ingenuity and that number 8 wire spirit to find practical, citizen-focused applications. This is where the foundation of trust begins

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Embed

The second step is embedding AI into service delivery in a way that strengthens rather than weakens public trust. This is where governance becomes critical. Citizens must be confident that AI is used transparently, that their privacy is protected and that Te Tiriti o Waitangi obligations including Māori data sovereignty are respected. Trust is not built through words alone; it comes from showing that AI is being used fairly, responsibly and for the benefit of all New Zealanders.

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Evolve

The third step is for government to become an orchestrator of an intelligent public ecosystem. A centralised, all-of-government approach will be essential. Someone to act as the conductor of AI use across the public service both to oversee and to ensure that the efficiencies gained are reinvested into better outcomes. This approach would support the perception of one New Zealand Government, rather than multiple agencies.