The Ultimate Guide to AI Agents
A curated Kiwi edition of TechDay news, analysis, interviews, reviews, job moves, and related resources for AI Agents (Agentic AI).
What to know about AI Agents
AI agents represent a transformative area within artificial intelligence, focusing on autonomous or semi-autonomous systems capable of performing complex tasks and making decisions to enhance business operations and personal productivity.
Our recent stories highlight how AI agents are rapidly evolving across sectors—from cybersecurity and data management to customer experience and enterprise automation. Companies are integrating AI agents to improve efficiency, drive innovation, and manage security risks in increasingly sophisticated ways.
By exploring these developments, readers can gain insights into the potential benefits, emerging applications, and challenges associated with AI agent deployment. Whether you're interested in how AI agents enhance software development, automate workflows, or secure enterprise environments, this tag offers a comprehensive look at this dynamic and impactful technology.
Kiwi AI Agents News
Regional stories with direct local relevance
Visa expands agentic commerce testing with NZ banks
Visa brings major New Zealand banks into programme testing AI-led payments, aiming to support secure agent-driven transactions across platforms.
Microsoft says NZ contribution hits NZ$9.4bn in FY25
Microsoft's latest New Zealand impact report says its tech drove NZD $3.4 billion in productivity gains, with AI adoption spreading fast across sectors.
Google adds restaurant bookings to AI Mode in Search
Google adds restaurant bookings to AI Mode in Search for New Zealand users, linking diners to live table availability from OpenTable and Wowapps.
Google expands Search Live to New Zealand in AI Mode
Google rolls out conversational Search Live to New Zealand, adding voice and camera support in AI Mode across more than 200 countries.
Digital twin cuts costs & emissions at Te Rua archive
Digital twin slashes Te Rua archive contingency spending and emissions, with Dexus saying the Wellington project cut carbon output by 80%.
The Optimisers launches in Auckland to target AI search
Auckland's The Optimisers debuts as a digital agency helping brands win visibility in AI-led search, summaries and autonomous agent results.
Analyst Insights
Research and market analysis connected to AI Agents
Gartner: AI layoffs do not improve returns on investment
CrowdStrike leads Gartner cyberthreat intelligence quadrant
Hyland named Leader in Gartner's 2026 document review
Digitate named a Leader in IDC's AIOps 2026 review
Boomi gains analyst praise across integration & AI
Featured News
AI agents multiply risk, says DigiCert chief product officer
DigiCert's Chief Product Officer Deepika Chahuan says organisations must gain visibility over AI agents, or risk chaos as deployments accelerate.
'Self-learning' AI big boon for Qualtrics' CX
Qualtrics says AI is helping businesses cut churn, boost revenue and uncover richer customer feedback by analysing calls and surveys.
Exclusive: Denodo's Dominic Sartorio on perfect data vs the right data
Denodo's Dominic Sartorio warns businesses accelerating artificial intelligence deployments that cloud migrations alone do not make data ready for real-time AI.
Google Cloud CEO sets out enterprise AI agent plan
Google Cloud's Thomas Kurian unveils Gemini Enterprise as an open, secure workplace AI platform linking models, data, chips and security.
Google flags urgency as AI reshapes cyber threats
Google warns AI is turbocharging cyber attacks as Sandra Joyce says firms must patch fast, while Gemini boosts threat detection and analysis.
Exclusive: Google Cloud reshaping finance with agentic AI
Google Cloud says banks need governance-led platforms to unlock agentic AI at scale, with tens of agents set to reshape compliance, fraud and risk.
Exclusive: Google Cloud accelerates shift to agentic data
Google Cloud is betting on AI agents as the main users of enterprise data, unveiling new tools for context, automation and cross-cloud access.
Exclusive: Google sees success with niche AI playbooks
Google is tailoring AI playbooks for 19 industries as enterprises shift from pilots to production, with faster rollouts and ROI now the focus.
Google sees retail success with agentic commerce push
Google's Gemini enterprise suite is live in retail at Bunnings, uniting search, service and sales with AI agents and UCP support.
Netskope's Tony Burnside - visibility is key to AI security
Netskope's Tony Burnside warns AI agents are creating hidden east-west traffic, calling for omni-directional controls and smarter DLP to stop data leaks.
Exclusive: Celonis global banking head says AI rollout hinges on process intelligence
Banks are slowing AI rollouts as they prioritise process visibility, with Celonis arguing execution depends on understanding how work flows today.
Great Southern Grammar embraces AI to boost high-impact teaching
Great Southern Grammar's IT lead Kieran Bailey says a tight pilot, longer-lasting Surface devices and Microsoft tools are transforming classroom tech.
Zetifi's connectivity solutions drive fleet and worker safety
Wagga Wagga-based Zetifi blends smart antennas, AI cameras and APIs to keep remote fleets connected while quietly boosting worker safety.
Exclusive: Orderfox pushes into autonomous execution with Gieni ABX
Orderfox readies Gieni ABX, an autonomous execution layer to turn its industrial AI insights into completed tasks across enterprise systems.
UiPath Accelerates AI in Software Development and Testing
UiPath is pushing AI deeper into software testing, promising autonomous agents that transform quality assurance and developers' roles.
Cloudera and Svitla Systems bring trusted AI to healthcare
Cloudera and Svitla team up to build trusted, clinician‑centric AI that unifies patient data while safeguarding privacy and consent.
Rise of AI Agents introduces new infosec risk: Okta
Okta warns that surging numbers of uncontrolled AI agents pose a major identity and access risk as they become the new digital workforce.
Confluent says data streaming will enable faster, better decisions
Confluent says organisations must shift to governed data streaming, with AI agents making millisecond decisions at scale.
Elastic says AI search & context now decide customer loyalty
Elastic argues that in an AI-obsessed market, robust search across messy data is the real foundation of trustworthy, profitable experiences.
Guidewire showcases GenAI's capabilities in insurance risks
Guidewire touts 'insurance-grade AI' as it uses generative tools to speed risk, claims and pricing decisions for cautious insurers.
Composable, process‑aware AI key to enterprise ROI
Process intelligence and composable architecture are emerging as the missing ingredients to turn fragile AI pilots into resilient, traceable value.
Why the all-AI social network looks more fad than legacy
Moltbook, the all-bot social network, faces scrutiny after researchers reportedly accessed its live database and user emails without checks.
Reviews
Expert Columns
Agentic commerce is arriving: From helping consumers find to helping them buy, payments can no longer be treated as the final step
Is your data ready for AI? 5 steps before deploying an agent
Why runtime identity is emerging as the next cybersecurity imperative
Proof beats promise: The trust crisis AI is creating
Mythos changes everything: Is your AI agent security ready?
The autonomous SOC: A dangerous illusion as firms shift to human-led AI security
Agentic commerce and the evolution of retail purchase behaviour
The AI risk hiding in your finance team's browser tabs
5 eCommerce trends set to define 2026
From APIs to MCPs: The new architecture powering enterprise AI
Interviews
Interviews and video coverage from the networkRecent AI Agents News
The 5 trends that will shape the scale of AI in 2026
AI's 2026 breakthrough will hinge on power, cooling, smarter grids and skills as data centres scale to support hotter, denser workloads.
Xero sets out checklist to streamline year-end accounts
Xero launches a checklist-style year-end workflow to help small firms reconcile accounts, manage documents and cut adviser workload.
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Mastercard tests first AI agent-led payments in NZ
Mastercard and Westpac have trialled New Zealand's first fully authenticated AI agent-led payments for cinema tickets and hotel bookings.
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Pead launches GEO service to shape AI brand answers
Auckland agency Pead launches GEO service to help brands influence how AI tools like ChatGPT, Copilot and Gemini answer consumer queries.
SkillsVR unveils EVA AI assistant for unified training
SkillsVR launches EVA, an AI assistant unifying VR, mobile and web training with real-time learner guidance and automatic record tracking.
Deloitte forecasts AI, data centres & media shifts by 2026
Deloitte predicts agentic AI boom, surging data centre and sovereign compute spend, and fast-shifting media habits by 2026.
Nearly half of Kiwi online daters would date an AI
Nearly half of New Zealand's online daters would consider dating an AI, as loneliness and mistrust reshape how Kiwis seek romance online.
NZ firms lift tech spend as AI shifts from trials to scale
New Zealand firms plan bigger tech budgets as optimism grows, shifting AI from pilots to scaled deployments despite talent and cyber strains.
Microsoft cloud region powers New Zealand's AI growth
Microsoft's NZ North cloud hub is powering Aotearoa's AI push, cutting costs, boosting skills and running on 100 per cent renewable energy.
OpenAI brings group chat feature to Kiwi ChatGPT users
OpenAI has introduced a group chat feature in ChatGPT for up to 20 users, enabling shared collaboration in New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan.
Westlaw New Zealand launches AI-powered research tools for lawyers
Thomson Reuters has launched AI-powered research tools in Westlaw New Zealand, enhancing legal research with natural language queries and secure AI features.
NVIDIA & Fujitsu expand AI push to drive innovation in New Zealand
NVIDIA and Fujitsu are boosting AI innovation in New Zealand with a new full-stack AI platform to transform industries like manufacturing and healthcare.
AI agents meet stablecoins…when money gets interesting!
Galaxy Digital's CEO predicts AI agents will soon be the biggest users of stablecoins, merging smart finance with instant digital payments in everyday life.
AI gains momentum in New Zealand workplaces amid calls for oversight
New Zealand firms rapidly adopt AI in finance and HR, but 88% stress the need for human oversight amid ethical and security concerns.
Exclusive: Lumify warns AI readiness must catch up to enterprise adoption
Amid a surge in digital transformation, ANZ companies are rapidly upskilling staff in cybersecurity and AI, adopting hybrid training to meet evolving tech demands.
Trust & AI in shopping: New Zealand consumers' views
Salesforce's report reveals New Zealand consumers are increasingly willing to embrace AI in shopping, despite a sharp decline in trust towards companies.
Exclusive: Celonis' Alex Lowe discusses how AI is transforming decision-making
Alex Lowe from Celonis reveals how AI is revolutionising decision-making, enhancing productivity by processing unstructured data more efficiently.
Working smarter not harder: Four ways AI can support your business
AI is reshaping Kiwi businesses with Meta's AI tools across Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, offering smarter solutions for marketing, customer service, and data insights.
HSO acquires NZ's Aware Group to boost global AI capabilities
HSO, expanding its global footprint in AI, acquires New Zealand-based Aware Group to enhance its business-relevant AI solutions using Microsoft Cloud technology.
Microsoft backs New Zealand's AI strategy for digital growth
Microsoft endorses New Zealand's new AI strategy, pledging support for innovation and economic growth through upcoming initiatives and a new cloud region.
