New Zealand needs a national strategy for AI

Te Whanganui a Tara - New Zealand has an opportunity to create AI that not only solves big problems at home, but that can also be seen as technology that is good for the world, NZTech chief executive Graeme Muller says.

Commerce and consumer affairs minister David Clark will be opening the Aotearoa AI Summit in Auckland on May 12. The major event has attracted New Zealand’s leading AI scientists, policy makers and tech entrepreneurs to review the rapidly moving technology.

The minister will be sharing the government’s thinking on a national AI strategy and other speakers such as Jennifer Marsman, Microsoft’s cognitive search principal engineer, and Greg Cross, founder of global leading AI company Soul Machines, will be revealing insights on the pace of change driven by AI around the world.

The summit is being used to feed into the government’s work on developing an AI strategy for New Zealand, something that countries leading in this field have already established in recent years.

Canada has just reinvigorated spending on AI in their latest budget with $NZ489 million being invested over the next 10 years into AI research and businesses.

Singapore’s AI strategy, launched in November 2019, focuses AI development on improving housing, transport, healthcare, education, safety and security. Investing in research and businesses, which can leverage AI technologies to rapidly improve the city, environment and wellbeing for all Singaporeans, Muller says.

Emma Naji, executive director of the AI Forum NZ says artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies can be harnessed to help address some of New Zealand’s biggest challenges and opportunities. The AI forum is a not-for-profit, working with government on the development of a national strategy.

“We can learn a lot from other nations in how to leverage these technologies such as AI, but with limited funding and resources New Zealand has to be smarter and well aligned to get the best impact, so a national strategy or plan is critical.

“The AI summit will bring together the largest collection of AI leaders and specialists the country has seen. We will focus on identifying the best ways for AI technology to help create a more socially and economically prosperous New Zealand.

“An AI strategy is also needed to help New Zealand consider how its AI will operate within a global market.

“The European Union just announced proposed regulations that will require companies providing AI in high-risk areas to provide regulators with proof of its safety, including explaining how the technology is making decisions.

“New Zealand has an opportunity to create AI that not only solves big problems at home, but that can also be seen as technology that is good for the world,” Naji says.

For further information contact NZTech’s media specialist, Make Lemonade editor-in-chief Kip Brook on 0275 030188

Photo:  Rachel, one of Soul Machine’s emotionally responsive digital humans