The New Zealand Reserve Bank released a report “Assessing AI and Robotics Exposure in the New Zealand Labour Market Using Large Language Models“. The analysis finds that Māori workers appear to have lower exposure to AI and robotics than other groups. While this may initially seem positive, it risks being misinterpreted.
In the report, higher AI exposure is concentrated in professional and technical roles where AI is more likely to augment work, increase productivity, and support wage growth. Lower exposure often reflects limited access to these opportunities rather than protection from technological change. From this perspective, Māori workers’ lower exposure may indicate under representation in occupations positioned to benefit most from AI adoption.
There are also important limitations in how exposure is measured. Occupations are treated as uniform categories, yet workers within the same role often perform very different tasks. Māori workers may be more likely to undertake routine or lower-discretion tasks that are more susceptible to automation, meaning real-world exposure may be understated.
Taken together, these dynamics point to a compounding risk. Māori workers may be less likely to benefit from AI-driven productivity gains in the near term, while facing increased displacement pressure as automation expands into a wider range of jobs over time. Without deliberate intervention, AI adoption is likely to reinforce existing labour market inequalities rather than reduce them.
AI is is something Māori must actively shape. Waiting on government, markets, or technology companies to deliver fair outcomes will only entrench existing inequalities. Māori leaders, organisations, and communities should act now and build AI capability, demand a seat at decision making tables, and invest in skills that allow Māori to use AI as a tool for self determination rather than displacement.
