Jacinda Ardern set to make ‘world-first’ event appearance as a hologram

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern will set a world first at the opening of Techweek on Monday, as she will attend the event as a hologram.

Ardern will make the appearance to discuss why technological innovation is an important part of New Zealand's future.

The prime minister will be the world's first national leader to undertake an official engagement as a hologram, NZTech chief executive Graeme Muller said today.

"It will look like the PM is at the opening, but it will actually just be a projection," Muller says.

"While this technology is still very new, it is exciting to see how fast tech like this is developing in New Zealand and to see the government understand the importance of tech for New Zealand.

Techweek is a major nationwide annual tech festival of more than 500 tech and innovation events held across 36 towns and cities around the country.

The event is being driven by NZTech, a non-government organisation that coordinates 20 national tech associations and their 700 plus members.

These include almost all major tech brands, as well as banks, universities, government agencies and large corporations like Fonterra and Air New Zealand. Technology is currently New Zealand's fastest growing industry and third biggest export sector.