with Dr Karaitiana Taiuru
Māori cultural considerations with AI, Algorithms, Big Data and Robotics are discussed here as well as ethics and treaty of Waitangi values.
This article considers why building sovereign AI capability within New Zealand is not just a technological imperative, it is a strategic necessity. Countries like Australia, Germany, Denmark and the EU are already planning and implementing Sovereign AI, while New Zealand remains a customer and not an AI leader. Many overseas AI models are controlled by … Read more
Sovereign AI is about keeping control over our future and recognising Māori Data Sovereignty. Tino rangatiratanga mō tātou, ā, mō ngā uri ā muri ake nei The ability to create and control our destiny for generations to come. These principles are a localised version of the international Indigenous AI Sovereign principles. Pou 1. Data sovereignty … Read more
Below is a Gen AI for Ethical use of Mātauranga template statement that can be copied and pasted for use in any educational facility, workplace or other organisation. Please be respectful of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License associated with this and acknowledge accordingly. Māori data sovereignty and AI governance Data is the source … Read more
This YouTube video clip is a perfect example of why AI will not replace our talented people in the screen industry. It was reported in RNZ and in the Spin Off. The Chat GPT AI generated video is just over 10 minutes long and is supposed to be about about keeping your phone silent in … Read more
I have over the years shared some mātauranga Māori and compared it to AI, I am hoping to revive our pre traditional practices of using pepeha, moemoea, waiata, oriori and other oral preservation and learning resources to assist Māori to understand AI is a powerful tool. Despite Māori being at the crossroads of new digital … Read more
Yesterday the New Zealand Government released its AI Strategy and advise to small businesses. The Strategy aligns with OECD AI Principles and the Government says it will continue to work with international partners on global rules to support the responsible use and development of AI. The strategy is primarily focused on productivity and not human … Read more
One.nz released their AI Trust Report today. It covers New Zealanders’ attitudes towards AI in 2025. Interestingly, it aligns to the research done by the AI Forum, PSA, InternetNZ, and DataCom. Additionally, many other New Zealand initiated research on AI show similar findings. While One.nz report didn’t mention Māori or Pacifika, it did report on … Read more
The latest research by the Privacy Commission “Research on Privacy Concerns and Use of Personal Information March 2025” has a significant focus on Māori Data Sovereignty views which is welcomed. There is a concentration on Facial Recognition Technologies (FRT) reinforcing well established facts. The limited AI questions could have been more extensive, and should have … Read more
The global study titled “Trust, attitudes and use of Artificial Intelligence: A global study 2025” reveals that while a significant portion of New Zealanders regularly use AI, their trust in the technology is notably low. Concerns about risks associated with AI are prevalent. This indicates a need for improved regulation and assurance. I have taken … Read more
It’s a cultural norm for Māori to mihi or greet people with a ‘Kia ora’ or other salutation. This is done in person, written communications, and over the recent years in online video. In the early 2000’s, when email was relatively new, many Māori would include several sentences to a paragraph of mihimihi in each … Read more
I had the privilege to contribute a chapter about benefits to Māori in the book ” Ten perspectives on Artificial Intelligence: in a rapidly evolving technology landscape, we need a strategic and ethical approach to AI in Aotearoa. Published April 2025 by the Public Service Association (PSA). I explore how Māori have the unique opportunity to … Read more
The AI action figure trend, where users generate personalised or stylised figures using AI tools (like custom avatars, toy-like images, or even physical 3D printed models based on AI renderings) carries several risks, particularly around privacy, ethics, cultural appropriation, and deepfake potential. From a Māori perspective, the AI action figure trend presents serious risks associated … Read more
The Artificial Intelligence Forum of New Zealand (AI Forum) Te Kāhui Atamai Iahiko o Aotearoa, a purpose-driven, not-for-profit, non-governmental organisation (NGO) funded by members, released their second edition of it’s biannual “AI in Action report Exploring the Impact of Artificial Intelligence on New Zealand’s Productivity.” This edition also for the first time introduced a Te Ao … Read more
AI principles guide the ethical development and deployment of AI systems by companies and other organisations, while AI disclaimers are statements that acknowledge AI-generated content or outcomes – see my previous post for more details. There is an international best practice benchmark set by the OECD which is widely accepted and adapted by many countries. … Read more
In 2014, I wrote how Google Translate brought te reo Māori into the new digital world with Spam and Phishing, etc. Now Artificial Intelligence (AI) is using te reo Māori in many new ways, including by the Russian backed Pravda group to provide news/disinformation to New Zealanders. Artificial Intelligence is deploying te reo Māori in … Read more
I am now offering free webinars from a Te Ao Māori perspective to assist Māori communities and those who interact with Māori communities and AI to better understand the risks and benefits of AI, and to attempt to myth bust some of the many incorrect rumours and fears in the communities, particularly in te ao … Read more
If your business or web site uses AI, whether for content creation (emails, newsletters, web site) or customer service chatbots, you may want to consider publishing an AI disclaimer to alleviate the fears for your New Zealand customers. In addition, if you use Mātauranga Māori/Māori Data, you should also include this in your disclaimers either … Read more
The New Zealand Government this week this week (January 29, 2025) released its first non binding AI Framework for the public sector with ethics, human and Indigenous Peoples considerations. View the Public Service AI Framework or downloadable pdf here). The Aotearoa New Zealand government Cabinet has agreed to a light-touch, proportionate and risk-based approach to … Read more