with Dr Karaitiana Taiuru
Māori Data Sovereignty is the right of Māori to govern the collection, ownership, storage and use of Māori data, as guaranteed by Te Tiriti o Waitangi. The Waitangi Tribunal’s WAI 2522 findings recognise Māori data as a taonga. These articles apply that standard to real decisions, from health records, genomics and digital identity to data centres, cloud services and generative AI. Rangatiratanga over data sits with whānau, hapū and iwi, so the posts look at tikanga and jurisdiction at those levels. They also explain why data residency in Aotearoa is not the same as data sovereignty. For the principles in full, start with the Compendium of Māori Data Sovereignty or the Māori Data Sovereignty overview..
This report examines the current landscape of Māori data sovereignty and governance in New Zealand. The research, conducted over 12 months, underscores the critical importance of Māori data sovereignty in the age of artificial intelligence (AI) to prevent bias and uphold Māori rights. A key finding reveals a significant disparity between established Māori data governance frameworks and … Read more
The AI Forum released their third “BI-ANNUAL SNAPSHOT AI IN ACTION Exploring the Impact of Artificial Intelligence on New Zealand’s Productivity“. This is the second consecutive time Māori and the first time Pacific Peoples are included. The report recognises that 44% of New Zealanders believe the benefits of AI outweigh the risks, and concerns are … Read more
The digital future is being written right now. AI is already here. Māori are at a crossroads. Māori Data Sovereignty is now a must. In an increasingly digitised world, Artificial Intelligence systems and algorithms shape key aspects of daily life, from healthcare to law enforcement. However, these technologies are often developed without sufficient regard for … Read more
Below is a script I used for a debate about if AI will replace humans in the Aotearoa screen industry at the Big Screen Symposium at Auckland University. It is a well-known fact that most of the world’s AI is dominated from big tech companies that are dominated by white middle class men, and based … Read more
Māori communities such as hapū, marae, taurahere, urban Māori and Māori organisation have always enacted sovereignty over their taonga, and in the digital age it has been no different. This podcast discusses the technical and grass roots level of Māori sovereignty that Māori refer to as “Tino Rangatiratanga” and “Mana Motuhake”. Terms enshrined in our … 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
The recent announcement by the government that the Census will cease in 2028 has been met with various reactions. Māori statisticians and academics with memberships and affiliations to Te Mana Raraunga and Iwi Leaders Data Group in particular are warning of issues for Māori and Iwi. As a Māori technologist/governor with Data and AI, I … Read more
Toitū te Tiriti Lawyer, Tania Waikato who has become prominent online with sharing legal advise. She posts tutorials about how to write submissions against the racist Regulatory Standards Bill here in New Zealand and has been banned from Facebook. Her content was civil, polite and factual. It only served to enlighten people of the impacts … Read more
Earlier this week the Honourable Winston Peters, in an open parliament debate about the punishment of three politicians of the Māori Party, made what is considered a derogatory and racist comment. He commented about the Honourable Rawiri Waititi’s moko kanohi. This is a traditional tattoo that covers the face, while a moko kauae is on … 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
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
All three New Zealand mobile network operators – 2degrees, One NZ and Spark will be shutting down their 3G cell phone coverage later this year. For those of us with tech privilege, who have no digital inequity, we will enjoy further benefits of more capacity in the spectrum. This will create new technologies, new opportunities … Read more