More than 80 percent of people don’t independently verify AI-generated information. As AI becomes the first place customers go for answers, that trust is creating a new challenge for New Zealand businesses.
AI is having its “peak hype” moment, but beneath the noise there is a very practical question most New Zealand business owners are asking: Will this actually help my business run better, or is it just another shiny tech distraction?
Russell Craig sums up a study by IDC and Microsoft NZ on how business organisations are embracing AI and harnessing its capabilities. 2018 was a remarkable year for AI where we witnessed this game-changing technology dominating the agendas of leading organisations and even nations. In the past year, Microsoft has helped organisations in Asia Pacific, such as Sustainable Coastlines, NV Interactive and Volpara to harness AI as the core – and catalyst – of their digital transformation strategy. How is AI shaping up in 2019? How will the organisations that have deployed AI reap its benefits? To help answer these questions, we partnered with leading research analyst firm IDC to conduct a study involving 101 business leaders and 100 workers in
Dave Heiner, a high-profile authority on human-centred AI is now confirmed as the keynote speaker for AI Day 2019. Heiner, the Strategic Policy Advisor at Microsoft, will appear at New Zealand’s premier AI event, to be held at Auckland’s ASB Waterfront Theatre on 27-28 March. Heiner brings perspective to the polarising debate about the promise of Artificial Intelligence, and the challenges it faces being fully accepted by people and society. His opening keynote, on Thursday 28th March, will include topics such as the importance of creating an ethical framework to ensure people’s privacy and the reliability, safety and fairness of AI systems. He says transparency and trust are paramount. “AI will impact everyone, everywhere. It promises great benefits to society,
Kiwi startup Mogeo has launched an artificial intelligence flatmate-finding service to put an end to horror flatmate stories. Serial entrepreneur Adam Hutchinson (pictured) and his team have developed an algorithm which matches people to the perfect flatmates. It can be used alongside existing advertising platforms such as Facebook and Trademe. “This is a game changer. Gone are the days of making huge decisions about who you’re going to live with based on a 10 minute meeting,” Hutchinson says. “The artificial intelligence we’re building takes the guesswork out of finding flatmates. All people have to do is fill out a short personality questionnaire and we’ll look after the rest to present them with perfectly compatible flatmate options.” The flatmate-finding service at Mogeo.com is totally
Decision-making on the fly for business owners has just become a whole lot easier thanks to Aider…
Small businesses now have a powerful, new intuitive tool at their fingertips to help drive success – and the bottom line. Aider, an artificial intelligence (AI) powered digital business assistant created specifically for small business, has been in beta phase in Australasia for several months. Brendan Roberts, Aider’s co-founder, says the app is now ready for the Australasian markets. “We believe that AI is in the process of changing how the world of commerce operates and we want to make this technology readily available to small business,” Roberts says. Making AI simple and easy to understand was critical in creating the app. Intuitive user interfaces and ready-made guides and questions ensure that Aider is simple to use but also saves
New Zealand’s Premier AI Event is back! For a multi-day conference on March 27th and 28th 2019, followed by a two day Workshop Series and a two day Hackfest. ASB Waterfront Theatre, Auckland. International Keynotes, Industry Experts, Local Trailblazers and Panel Discussions will showcase Practical Applications, Kiwi Innovation, Global Knowledge and the Impact of Artificial Intelligence on You, Business, Government and Society. Grab your ticket to join 650+ Business and Technology leaders learning how AI is transforming society and what you can achieve with this evolving technology. For more information and early bird registration click here.
Upcoming event
Wednesday 11 November 2026 | 7:00am – 9:30am
📍 New Zealand International Convention Centre, 101 Hobson Street, Auckland
One week after the election, Ready to Rise returns for ‘After the Result’ to help Kiwi SME owners plan ahead for their next bold move, and hard-won growth. Get your tickets for this must-attend business breakfast.
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Practical AI insights, Kiwi tech innovators, and the tools helping Kiwi SMEs compete on a global stage. It’s all packed into this special tech issue of NZBusiness.
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