Taiuru & Associates Ltd

with Dr Karaitiana Taiuru

cropped-taiuru.png

Speaker profile

The following image may be used with credit.

Dr Karaitiana Taiuru
Dr Karaitiana Taiuru

Dr Karaitiana Taiuru (event organiser pack)

Speaker summary (one paragraph)

Dr Karaitiana Taiuru is a Māori AI, data, and emerging-technology ethicist who helps organisations understand how modern digital systems affect identity, rights, and equity outcomes. Drawing on tikanga Māori and mātauranga Māori, he delivers practical guidance for boards, agencies, and industry leaders on AI governance, Māori Data Sovereignty, IP, and preventing bias and discrimination across the AI lifecycle.

What audiences get (outcomes)

Participants typically leave with:

  • a clear understanding of where bias enters AI systems (data, design, deployment, monitoring) and how to reduce it;
  • governance actions boards can adopt immediately (risk questions, controls, oversight cadence);
  • a practical view of Te Tiriti-aligned AI and data governance expectations in Aotearoa;
  • an evidence-based framing of AI colonisation risks and how to design for empowerment instead.

Signature topics and session abstracts

  1. Māori AI & Data Sovereignty: Embedding Values into Technology
    A practical session on translating Te Tiriti values and Māori rights into governance decisions: what must be decided at governance level, what controls matter, and how to prevent bias and discrimination using a uniquely Aotearoa lens.
  2. AI Colonisation and Mātauranga Sovereignty
    Explores how GenAI can become a colonisation tool when built on harvested data and imported norms, and how Māori and Indigenous communities can shape ethical development, consent, and governance across the lifecycle.
  3. Algorithmic Bias: When Systems Don’t “See” Māori
    Breaks down real-world pathways to bias (representation gaps, proxy variables, feedback loops, operational practice), and the governance and audit measures required to detect and mitigate inequity before harm occurs.
  4. Protecting Māori Cultural and Intellectual Property in the GenAI Era
    How training data, scraping, and synthetic content raise new IP and appropriation issues for mātauranga Māori, waiata, imagery, and digital taonga—plus practical safeguards organisations can implement now.
  5. Indigenous language AI: revitalisation vs extraction
    A balanced view of language tech opportunities alongside consent, provenance, and exploitation risks—anchored in international reporting and local experience.

Intro script (30 seconds)

“Tonight’s speaker is Dr Karaitiana Taiuru, director of Taiuru & Associates and one of Aotearoa New Zealand’s leading voices on Māori data sovereignty and digital technology ethics. Dr Taiuru works at the intersection of tikanga Māori, mātauranga Māori, and emerging technologies, helping organisations govern AI in ways that prevent bias, protect rights, and build public trust.”

Speaker booking

For invitations and bookings, use the
Taiuru & Associates contact page.

Previous conferences and guest lectures

Podcasts

2025

  • Māori Data Sovereignty in AI projects and the broader tech landscape. AIoT Global Summit
  • Sampling ethics and geo-data sovereignty in Aotearoa
  • Kaupapa Māori Research and Ethics – Otago Polytechnic International Campus
  • Māori culture with Human Factors and Artificial Intelligence – University of Canterbury
  • Māori AI & Data Sovereignty: Embedding Values into Technology – DigiGov Leaders Summit NZ
  • Benefits, Risks and Myths of AI for Early Career Researchers – Otago University
  • AI in Health Panel Discussion – Digital Health AI Summit 2025
  • WAI 262 and Māori Data Sovereignty – Cawthron Institute
  • Reviewing and implementing Māori data sovereignty principles and governance for AI, algorithms and data – 7th annual NZ Gov Data Summit
  • Ask Me Anything – AI – AMA webinar Māori Business Network
  • Labour Party AI Summit at Parliament
  • Fireside Chat – Navigating AI: Ethics, Culture and Sovereignty – IT Professionals NZ
  • Digital Sovereignty in a Time of Rising Fascism – Dark Times Academy
  • AI for Good Book launch Panel – PSA
  • Your Face Is Ours Panel – Fraud Film Festival
  • Māori Data Sovereignty and AI Considerations of Legal instruments: AI Ethics, Inclusivity, and Māori Perspectives – University of Auckland MBA programme
  • AI in Action report: a Te Ao Māori Perspective – AI Forum NZ
  • Artificial Intelligence considerations for authors – New Zealand Society of Authors
  • AI and Māori cultural considerations – Otago University Early Career Researchers
  • Implementing Māori Data Sovereignty into existing AI and Data governance strategies (Workshop) – 7th annual NZ Gov Data Summit
  • Case study TBC – 7th annual NZ Gov Data Summit
  • Adult and Community Education Aotearoa (ACE) 2025
  • Ramifications of ignoring Māori data governance – RIMPA Global & ARANZ Wellington Roadshow
  • Kōrero for Change Webinar on Digital & Information Systems – Access Matters Aotearoa

2024

  • A ‘Ruthless’ Critique Of AI – Victoria University of Wellington
  • Critical Conversations About AI: Indigeneity, Language, Knowledge and Power – Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi
  • Moana Talks – Pacific Data Sovereignty – Online
  • Indigenous Privacy Perspectives from Aotearoa/New Zealand – IAPP Summit 2024 – Melbourne, Australia
  • Māori Data Sovereignty and AI – IBM Tech for Impact Seminar – Online
  • How do we embed Kaupapa Māori and Te Tiriti ethics at the outset? – NZCER – Wellington
  • Māori and Te Tiriti considerations with Artificial Intelligence (AI) – Innovation in Education | Mātau Aronga Whanokē – Te Rito Maioha Staff Hui – Wellington
  • What is Ethics in the 21st Century – StatsNZ Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation (CDEI) – Wellington
  • Large Language Models and Transnational Research: Introducing the AI as Infrastructure (AIINFRA) Project – Fantastic Futures 2024 Conference – Canberra
  • He tirohanga Māori ki te matatapu – Indigenous Privacy Perspectives from Aotearoa – IAPP ANZ Privacy Summit – Melbourne, Australia
  • Māori and Te Tiriti ethical considerations with Artificial Intelligence (AI) – Rauhuia: Terenga Huihuinga – Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand – Wellington
  • Pacific Data Sovereignty AI Workshop – Moana Connect – University of Auckland
  • Putting AI best practice into a New Zealand context with Te Tiriti and Te Ao Māori Considerations – Institute of Directors – Auckland
  • AI Considerations with a Te Ao Māori Lens – Tertiary ICT Conference 2024 – Christchurch
  • Artificial Intelligence – Emerging Technologies. A Māori perspective of AI Regulation – NZLS CLE Public Sector Governance Intensive – Wellington
  • Copyright and IP considerations in the age of Artificial Intelligence – A Te Ao Māori perspective – Publishers Association New Zealand – Auckland
  • Māori Data Sovereignty of Taonga Species – Te Arawa Fisheries – Rotorua
  • Digital Identity and Māori – Panel Discussion – Digital Trust Hui Taumata 2024 – Wellington
  • Empowering Whānau in IP, Data, and Technology – Te Puna Umanga Venture Taranaki – New Plymouth
  • Data Sovereignty of Taonga Species – Climate Adapted Finfish (science update for researchers) – Cawthron Institute – Nelson
  • Implications of Artificial Intelligence for Māori (30+ years of the Mataatua Declaration) – Whakatāne
  • Te Ao Māori Perspectives of Artificial Intelligence – Te Puni Kōkiri – Wellington
  • The relevance of Māori Data Sovereignty in relation to AWS – AWS Community Day – Wellington
  • AI (Artificial Intelligence) Conference – Te Whare Wānanga o Raukawa
  • Navigating the power, potential and perils of technology with research (Māori Sovereignty and Decolonisation) – eResearch New Zealand 2024
  • Artificial Intelligence (AI) Opportunities — and potential risks. A Te Ao Māori Perspective – NZLS CLE Ltd – Wellington
  • Machine bias / AI and emerging technologies / and how do we safely prepare for the future – Māori Data Apprenticeship – Manawatū
  • What we need to know about Māori data sovereignty and governance as data professionals?; Practical applications of Māori data sovereignty driving outcomes for Māori through data – 6th Annual NZ Government Data Summit 2024 – Wellington
  • Significance of Snapper and other finned fish to Māori – Cawthron Institute – Nelson
  • Mātauranga Māori Seminar Series: Te Rangatiratanga Raraunga Māori / Māori Data Sovereignty – Victoria University – Wellington
  • Te Ao Māori Considerations Robotics and Society – COMPSYS 730 – Faculty of Engineering, University of Auckland
  • Māori Data Sovereignty and Taonga Species – Cawthron Institute and Te Arawa Fisheries – Rotorua
  • How Indigenous Peoples, specifically Māori should be considered in this context – PSYC451 – University of Canterbury – Christchurch
  • Te Ao Māori Considerations with Artificial Intelligence – He Toronga Pakihi ki Taranaki: Māori Business Network – New Plymouth

2023

  • Māori Data Sovereignty (Digital and Biological) – Internship Programme 2023 – Mātai Medical Research Institute
  • Embracing the Future: Building AI in Aotearoa with Māori Perspectives – Tech Alliance, NZTech
  • AI Colonisation and Mātauranga Sovereignty – Techtopia – Science Communicators Association of New Zealand
  • Māori Data Sovereignty and Introduction – Healthy Hearts Aotearoa New Zealand Ako Series
  • Fundamentals of Actioning & Exercising Māori data sovereignty principles in genetics-based research – Healthy Hearts Aotearoa New Zealand Ako Series
  • Bio Diversity Māori Data Sovereignty Considerations – Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu
  • Empowering Māori and Indigenous education through Artificial Intelligence – ASCILITE 2023
  • Mātauranga Māori with Assisted Research Technology and the HART Act – Ministry of Health
  • Te Ao Māori impacts and opportunities of GenAI in environmental research – Manaaki Whenua
  • Māori cultural perspectives and Te Tiriti obligations when dealing with familial breast and ovarian cancer samples – NZFBOC
  • Assessing ethical and social implications over AI inventorship via a Te Tiriti lens – Canterbury Tech Summit 2023
  • Kōrero tahi – embracing and honouring te ao Māori in communications – Sustainable Business Network, AUT
  • Considering and Applying Te Tiriti o Waitangi and Mātauranga with Digital Technologies – TENZ
  • A Māori perspective on generative AI – AMWA Tech Writers
  • Images of the Future: Daily Life in a World Governed by AI – DIPLOSPHERE
  • Data Sovereignty and what it means for the heath-tech sector – Queenstown Research Week
  • An introduction and implementation using Te Tiriti principles – Data Journalism
  • Māori Data Sovereignty: An introduction and implementation using Te Tiriti principles – Healthy Hearts Aotearoa New Zealand, University of Auckland
  • Māori Concerns Managing Data and AI Image Sovereignty – StatsNZ Centre for Data Ethics & Innovation
  • Artificial Intelligence from a Māori perspective; Impacts of Artificial Intelligence and Algorithmic Bias – ANZREG (Australia)
  • Data Innovation for Equitable Digital Futures Seminar – Panel Discussion – UN Global Pulse, Jakarta
  • Assessment in the Age of Artificial Intelligence – Panel (with Professor Michael Witbrock) – NZQA
  • MSD Masterclass – Te Ao Māori Perspectives of MSD AI and Algorithms – AI Forum
  • Resisting AI in NZ – TohaToha
  • Global Responsible AI – Māori Ethical Considerations with AI
  • AI and Indigenous Data Sovereignty – Charles Sturt University, Australia
  • Generative AI and Māori language revitalisation or colonisation – ChatLM23, University of Sydney
  • What is digital identity and what does this mean for Māori? – Digital Identity New Zealand
  • Māori Data Sovereignty an introduction – Pegasus Health
  • Tikanga and data sovereignty – New Zealand Data & Analytics Summit (BrightStar)
  • AI Colonisation and Mātauranga Sovereignty – Gibbons Lecture Series 2023 – University of Auckland
  • Te Ao Māori Critical Perspective on ChatGPT – Massey University
  • Māori Data Sovereignty: An introduction – Climate Change Commission

2022

  • Ethical Considerations with AI – Invited Panellist – Artificial Intelligence Researchers Association conference
  • Considering Indigenous Privacy Perspectives – Introducing Māori Data Sovereignty – IAPP ANZ Summit – Sydney
  • Mātauranga Māori with Assisted Research Technology and the HART Act – Donor Identity Aotearoa New Zealand Conference
  • Reflecting the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi in communication and engagement – Communicating for New Zealand
  • Indigenous-led projects: kōrerorero from New Zealand – Invited Panel Member – Biodiversity Genomics 2022
  • Giving effect to Te Tiriti in NZ legislation and policy settings / responding to digital colonisation – SHORE & Whariki Research Centre, Massey University
  • Te Ao Māori and Te Tiriti Applied to an AI Sentient – CITRENZ – ARA Christchurch
  • Māori Genetic Data – Inalienable Rights and Tikanga Sovereignty – Iwi Taketake Indigenous Doctoral Research Symposium – Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi
  • Building the AI community within NZ – Panel Discussion – Aotearoa AI Summit (AI Forum)
  • Non Fungible Tokens from a Te Ao Māori Perspective – TeLENZ 2022 Conference – AUT
  • Māori Data Sovereignty and Māori Data Ethics via a Te Tiriti lens – IT micro-credentials – Otago Polytechnic Ltd
  • Mātauranga Māori with Assisted Research Technology and the HART Act – NZIMLS (INC) ASM – Te Papa
  • Te Ao Māori Considerations with Robotics and Society – COMPSYS 730 – University of Auckland
  • Māori Data Sovereignty – What does greater Māori control of Māori Data look like and why does it matter. Panel discussion – Maurea
  • Weaving te ao Māori into data protection and cyber security practices – 2022 NZ Cyber Security Summit
  • Māori needs, values and beliefs as a principle of the Human Assisted Reproductive Technology Act 2004 – Ministry of Health
  • Māori Data Sovereignty and how it applies to Financial Data using Te Tiriti and UNDRIP – Financial Market Authority
  • An Introduction to Māori Data Sovereignty (Te Tiriti principles) – University of Auckland ENGGEN 101G
  • An Introduction to Māori Data Sovereignty of Biological and Digital Data – NZACRes
  • Applying Tikanga Māori and Te Tiriti principles in the lab (biological samples) – Palmerston North Biomatics Group
  • Māori Data Sovereignty: An introduction and implementation using Te Tiriti principles – MapNet Conference 2022 (Online)

2021

  • Intersectionalities of Automated Decision Making and Race/Ethnicity – ARC CoE for Automated Decision-Making & Society, University of Queensland
  • An Introduction to Māori Data Sovereignty and Mātauranga – AgResearch Systems Biology (Online)
  • Māori Data Sovereignty: an introduction and implementation in the research sector – AgResearch Lincoln
  • Respecting Mātauranga Māori in Science: Māori IP Rights & Data Sovereignty (Taonga Species) – New Zealand Association of Scientists
  • Te Ao Māori and Robots – COMPSYS 722: Robots in Society – University of Auckland
  • Māori Data Sovereignty – New Zealand Research Software Engineering Conference 2021 (Online)
  • Heart Health Equity Hui – Manawataki Fatu Fatu, University of Auckland (ISBN 978-0-473-58843-4)
  • Māori Data Sovereignty – SCIS 213 – Victoria University
  • A Te Ao Māori Lens on Data Sovereignty – Enspiral Dev Academy (Wellington)
  • Intellectual Property, International Law (Genomics & Bioprospecting; Genetic Resources) – WAI 262 Symposium ki Waipapa Marae – University of Auckland
  • Publishing with Sensitive Data: multidisciplinary introduction – Otago University Emerging Researchers (June 2021)
  • Māori data sovereignty, AI, algorithms – SCIS 414 – Centre for Science in Society, Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington
  • Te Rūnaka o Koukourarata: Genetics/DNA Position/Discussion Paper – January 2021 – SING 2021 ki Ōtautahi ki Rehua Marae
  • Ko Wai a Ngāi Tahu – How is Ngāi Tahu – February 2021 – Christchurch Heart Institute

2020

  • Māori and the future of AI – Tech Week (sponsored by Callaghan Institute)
  • Sustainability with Māori and Te Tiriti Considerations (including Māori Data Sovereignty) – Otago University (23 November 2020)
  • WAI 2522 E-Commerce (Summary of affidavit) – Waitangi Tribunal WAI 2522
  • Machine Learning Seminar – Māori ethics and cultural considerations with AI, algorithms, data, robotics and IoT – Auckland University (21 October)
  • Māori Data Sovereignty and Digital Colonisation – Webinar: Digital Justice – ANZSOC
  • Cultural Appropriation of Māori – Bachelor of Communication Studies paper – AUT
  • Should Aotearoa remain GMO Free – A Māori perspective – Western Springs College / Ngā Puna o Waiōrea
  • Māori cultural and ethical considerations in information security – OWASP New Zealand – Auckland University

2019

  • Tikanga related aspects of genomic data generation and use – “Māori doing science” workshop – Queenstown Research Week
  • Tikanga of biometric technologies – Computer Science Department, University of Auckland
  • Digital Rights in the Age of Surveillance AI – Panel – University of Sydney
  • Digital Colonialism – The Relevance of Culture in the Age of AI – Goethe-Institut Sydney

2018

  • Nāku tō rourou, nā taku rourou ka ora ai te iwi: Recognising the need for dynamic relationships between Māori and Government in a rapidly evolving digital world – StatsNZ IANZ Indicator Selection Event – Wellington (December 2018)
  • Cultural Misappropriation: What is it? When does copying cease to be flattering? Can anything be done? – Ngā Taonga Tuku Iho Conference – Nelson (16–18 September 2018)
  • Culture and Context Online – NetSafe New Zealand Crossroads Conference – Auckland (10 October 2018)
  • He taonga te raraunga? Is data taonga? – StatsNZ (Auckland)
  • Protection from Appropriation and Vehicle for Economic Change – INTA Asia Pacific Forum (Indigenous Intellectual Property) – Sydney (11–12 October 2018)

2017

  • Māori cultural ethical considerations in Digital Security – BSides Wellington (23–24 November 2017)
  • Biggest risk of Māori leadership in 2017 – Canterbury University (MMIL 430)

2015

  • He Taonga te digital data: A tikanga perspective – Lincoln University (MAST 603)
  • Awareness of the need for an Indigenous Knowledge licence: A digital perspective – Canterbury University (NZ Institutional Repository Day)
  • Digital Colonialism: What information management organisations need to be aware of – Lincoln University
  • The Internet infrastructure and technologies from an Indigenous perspective: Comparing Māori traditions and genealogies – Victoria University
  • Future of Libraries Summit (Indigenous considerations using Open Source) – OS//OS

2014

  • Creative Commons Aotearoa – Towards an Indigenous Knowledge Notice – Open Access Week – Lincoln University

2013

  • Indigenous Domain Names in Aotearoa/New Zealand – National Digital Forum – Te Papa (Wellington)
  • Indigenous Issues with new gTLDs – ICANN 47th International Meeting – Durban

2012

  • The evolution of Social Media: benefits and implications to Māori culture – The Project Revolution: Pacific Shift – AUT (Auckland)
  • Minority language success story (“Maori”) and technology for language revitalisation – UNESCO symposium – Bilbao (via audiovisual)
  • Using Citizen Media Tools to Promote Under-Represented Languages – New Tactics in Human Rights (online)

2010

  • Using Skype to achieve maximum telecommunication budget savings – e-engage Yourself – CPIT (Christchurch)

2009

  • e-Carvers of the new Digital World – Sixth International Indigenous Librarians’ Forum 2009
  • Using Web 2.0 to build and retain communities – ICANN – Mexico