The Ultimate Guide to Artificial Intelligence
A curated Kiwi edition of TechDay news, analysis, interviews, reviews, job moves, and related resources for Artificial Intelligence (AI).
What to know about Artificial Intelligence
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming industries, reshaping business operations, enhancing customer experiences, and driving innovation across sectors globally and in Australasia. From the surge in AI-driven cybersecurity threats and the adoption of AI in cloud infrastructure to the integration of generative AI in customer service, marketing, and financial sectors, this dynamic field demands close attention.
Experts emphasise the critical role of robust data management and infrastructure in successfully leveraging AI technologies, while organisations face challenges including skill gaps, ethical considerations, and regulatory developments. As AI adoption accelerates, businesses must balance innovation with security, sustainability, and human-centric strategies to thrive in this evolving landscape.
Readers exploring this tag will gain insights into the latest AI trends, practical applications, organisational strategies, technological advancements, and the collaborative efforts shaping the future of AI. Understanding these developments is essential for anyone interested in the impact of artificial intelligence on business, technology, and society.
Kiwi Artificial Intelligence News
Regional stories with direct local relevance
Architecture doesn't need AI to transform it; it needs AI to make it calmer
Routine design admin is where AI is already easing pressure on architects, leaving more time for judgement, care and client work.
Workday joins New Zealand government digital marketplace
Eligible New Zealand agencies can now buy Workday software through a pre-vetted channel, potentially speeding procurement and reducing risk.
Could Bitcoin collapse?
Bitcoin's slump has revived fears over whether investors could flee to the point that even the biggest cryptocurrency loses all value.
NZAero eyes AI pilot training as CT-4 production restarts
The revived trainer could give instructors richer flight data to spot safety and skills gaps as NZAero restarts CT-4 production after 14 years.
The human side of being future ready
Cyber defences falter when staff know the rules but still fail to act, making psychology as important as software for resilience.
OpenAI rolls out ChatGPT for Teens with NZ safety safeguards
The move gives under-18 users stronger safeguards and homework support as regulators and parents scrutinise AI chatbots' impact on teens.
Analyst Insights
Research and market analysis connected to Artificial Intelligence
SAS named Forrester leader in financial crime tools
Everpure named Gartner leader for enterprise storage
Litera adds AI search & growth tools for law firms
Fortinet buys Virtue AI to boost AI security tools
Gartner urges CFOs to pilot finance AI with governance
Featured News
Rimini Street offers AI magic without the forced ERP migration
CIOs can keep existing ERP systems and still adopt agentic AI, as Rimini Street pitches a cheaper path away from vendor-led migrations.
Customers at the centre of Adobe's new AI evangelist role
Adobe is using the post to help customers navigate AI adoption while feeding regional priorities back into its global product strategy.
Jamf launches AI Governance to enhance visibility, security
IT teams can now track AI models on Apple fleets to curb data leaks and token spend as businesses wrestle with shadow AI.
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AI models expose new attack surfaces through misconfiguration
Misconfigured models are giving attackers a fresh route into cloud systems, raising the risk of data theft and service compromise.
Cvent says event success lies in genuine human interaction
Hybrid formats are helping organisers broaden reach without losing the in-room relationships that still drive trust, leads and donations.
Zendesk's outcome-based pricing balances AI with human touch
Businesses will pay only for closed support cases under Zendesk's new model, as the software group ties AI automation to human fallback.
Thermomix moves HQ to Melbourne to capture Aussie kitchens
The shift will bring the appliance maker closer to eastern customers, as Australia and New Zealand now account for most of its sales.
AI will fade, says Dell Technologies' ephemeral Chief AI Officer
Dell says agentic AI should shift routine tasks below the machine line, freeing staff for expert work while making the role temporary.
Schrodinger's ERP both dead and alive, says Rimini Street
Businesses can avoid costly ERP rip-and-replace projects by layering AI and automation onto existing systems, Rimini Street says.
AI adoption races ahead of governance in businesses
Only one in six staff are getting enough AI training, leaving firms exposed to poor decisions, shadow tools and weak returns.
Network segmentation - you can't attack what you can't see
Fast-moving exploits are shrinking patch windows to hours, making network segmentation vital for protecting cameras, medical devices and other connected assets.
ClickHouse customer base soars on back of AI demand
AI agents are driving a sharp rise in demand for the real-time data platform, which added 1000 customers early in 2026 to top 4000.
Smart stuff in Dell's simplified approach to the venerable PC
Businesses need not necessarily rush to replace working PCs for AI, as Dell says those with accelerators can still handle workloads.
SUSE targets Australia's industrial edge to drive growth
Australian miners, shippers and utilities could be next to benefit as SUSE pushes edge computing and AI inference beyond data centres.
Pead: AI search transition reshaping corporate reputation
AI-generated answers are already shaping public perceptions, forcing firms to manage reputation across trusted third-party sources instead of search rankings.
SAS Innovate: New era of scams requires novel solutions
Australians are losing billions as AI-driven fraud pushes banks, telcos and platforms to share scam data faster and stop payments earlier.
Fresh perspective: New Gentrack CTO on AI-driven utility future
AI tools could cut utility costs and reduce customer friction as Gentrack's new Chief Technology Officer pushes a more proactive service model.
Check Point CTO on AI's double-edged sword
AI is shrinking the gap between vulnerability disclosure and real-world exploitation to hours, forcing security teams to adapt fast.
Meet the man behind the Saas-Pocalypse: Emergent's Mukund Jha
The new cash will help Emergent broaden from coding tools into an operating system for small and medium businesses as demand surges.
SonicWall boosts endpoint security for SMBs and mid-market
SMBs and mid-market firms facing AI-driven attacks are set for tighter device controls as SonicWall prepares a new endpoint security product.
Resilience over prevention as AI reshapes security landscape
Rising ransomware speed is pushing ANZ firms to increase spending on recovery strategies as AI gives attackers new ways in.
Check Point: Be the best, or get out the way
Rising AI-driven attacks are compel security buyers to cut vendor sprawl, though Check Point warns over-consolidation can still raise risk.
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Check Point: Hackers are already in. Act accordingly
Hackers are exploiting vulnerabilities in hours or minutes, leaving many organisations compromised before defenders spot the breach.
Future of enterprise software is agentic apps, says Oracle
Oracle is targeting a common blocker to AI adoption by adding governance, human checks and audit trails to its agentic app builder.
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OnBoard says board AI policy key, but lags behind in adoption
Most boards are using AI, but formal guidelines are still missing as adoption races ahead of governance, OnBoard's survey found.
John Margerison on the new class of employee: AI managers
Businesses should treat AI like a new hire, as weak oversight could expose sensitive data and leave staff needing fresh skills to stay relevant.
Archaic payment processes costing SMEs time and money
Australian SMEs are missing working capital gains as manual invoicing and EFTs leave payments slower and less secure.
SiteHive gains traction with unblinking eyes on the job
Construction firms can now monitor dust, noise and weather remotely, helping avoid delays and environmental breaches across hundreds of sites.
Agentic AI creates enterprise challenge beyond LLM boom
Enterprises face rising costs and governance gaps as thousands of AI agents begin operating alongside staff across multiple systems.
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CorPlan launches CoreEPM: Rapid return AI-powered Business Intelligence
By replacing spreadsheets and manual finance work, the new platform aims to cut months-long implementation times and free staff for higher-value tasks.
AI reshaping cybersecurity - on defence and attack
Criminals are using AI to scale phishing and hunt flaws faster, forcing firms to harden defences as alert volumes and risks rise.
TCL pivots to premium TV offering with Bang & Olufsen collab
TCL's new range features brighter flagship TVs, with certified high-end sound and Gemini features, targeting Sony and Samsung's premium turf.
Reducing cyber risk is still hard: Why CTEM stalls at action
Security teams are still struggling to turn vulnerability alerts into fixes, leaving companies exposed for months when IT and operations must act separately.
Marketers turn to AI as personalisation revolution arrives
Australian marketers are turning to agentic AI to keep pace with fragmented customer journeys and rising demand for personalised content.
Quantum computers aren't here yet. But the data threat is
Hackers are already hoarding encrypted data, as businesses race to adopt quantum-safe protection before Q-Day arrives.
Don't lose the human connection in AI-supported recruitment
Human judgement is becoming more valuable as AI screens CVs, with candidates wary of being reduced to data points and overlooked for potential.
Exclusive: Virtuozzo sees GPU clouds reshape AI infrastructure
AI demand is pushing cloud providers towards GPU-as-a-service models, with efficiency and utilisation emerging as key differentiators.
UiPath assisting One NZ on journey to become AI leaders
Strict controls are now central to One NZ's AI push as it guards customer data and avoids costly errors in billing and finance.
'Lack of support' as Australia lags behind on blockchain
Years of regulatory delay risk leaving Australia behind as tokenised assets and digital investment platforms gather pace.
Data storage gets profitable as Exaba targets US expansion
Exaba's local cloud storage pitch could give US managed services providers higher margins as it challenges AWS and Azure in a crowded market.
Defence Australia puts data at core of national security
Sovereign AI is becoming vital to mission readiness as Defence Australia builds a connected data ecosystem for faster decisions.
Banks face AI balancing act as regulation tempers uptake
Australia's banks are steadily increasing their use of artificial intelligence, but regulation and data security fears are tempering adoption.
Data-driven transport: The future is here
Australia's truck driver shortage is set to triple by 2029, pushing fleets towards data tools that could make autonomy viable.
How the 'human hour' mentality influences the future of tech
AI pilots are faltering where firms still judge success by hours saved, leaving customer value and workforce design unresolved.
Tech reinvent as Hejaz teases 'Wahda' superapp launch
Weeks before a planned August debut, the app aims to entice more than 2 billion Muslims with chat, video and faith-based AI tools.
'Strong partnership': Canva, OpenAI team up for hackathon
Hundreds of admin hours are draining staff time from lifesaving, research and STEM work at Australian nonprofits.
Trane Technologies drives huge energy and cost saving
Data-centre operators face rising power bills as Trane's HFO shift and liquid-cooling push cut emissions and HVAC costs.
Samsung AI push focuses on proactivity, personalisation
Devices that anticipate routines could cut friction for New Zealand users as Samsung extends hyper-personalised AI across phones, wearables and the home.
Hype growing - but SMEs still face barriers to AI adoption
Small firms risk falling behind unless they adopt AI for practical gains, as SMEC AI says many are still confused by the technology.
'Smart people changing': How humans and agentic AI co-exist
Governance fears and skills gaps are pushing businesses to deploy agentic AI in secure systems while protecting staff from disruption.
Exabeam: Ruthless efficiency can make agentic AI malicious
Behavioural analytics is becoming essential as AI agents can pursue tasks so efficiently that they may cause damage without any malicious intent.
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Digidentity helping companies navigate AI fraud challenges
AI-driven fraud is pushing healthcare, government and carmakers to tighten identity checks as remote transactions spread worldwide.
New Zealand 'ingenuity' driving Lightspeed's global success
Auckland's engineers are shaping Lightspeed's products worldwide, as the company expands AI tools and keeps key leadership in New Zealand.
Companies wildly unprepared for new era of security threats
Many firms are exposing sensitive data as shadow AI and weak controls leave them open to breaches, hallucinations and unauthorised access.
No blind spots: Reolink unveils dynamic, AI-powered range
The new OMVI range could cut costs for homes and businesses by replacing multi-camera setups with one device that tracks subjects in 360 degrees.
How Invetech and McGrathNicol modernised with SAP S/4 HANA
The move has cut month-end work and lifted invoice processing, while avoiding costly customisation and easing future upgrades.
Visibility can shield you against $15k/min downtime
Blind spots in monitoring are pushing outage bills higher, with Splunk estimating average downtime now costs USD $15,000 a minute.
Marvell targets AI connectivity bottleneck with NVIDIA boost
AI data centres are hitting copper limits, pushing Marvell and Nvidia towards optics as clusters grow larger and more distributed.
Workday GO offers growth potential for mid-sized enterprises
Australian and New Zealand mid-sized firms will gain faster deployments and real-time people, payroll and finance insights from Workday GO.
Clean Core and governed AI enable SAP success
Australian firms can avoid costly upgrade pain and AI risks by pairing Clean Core with governed data and trusted partners.
Check Point Technologies: On vigilance, Mythos and beyond
AI-driven vulnerability scanning is forcing firms to rethink complacency as Check Point says existing defences still help against Mythos.
Exclusive: Reco COO on securing the AI inside your SaaS stack
Reco COO Zoe Hillenmeyer says enterprises typically underestimate their AI agent exposure by a factor of ten and that gap is widening.
Dext: Transformative AI made easy for accountants and bookkeepers
Accountants could cut errors and save time as Dext AI Assist brings prompt-based automation to bookkeeping workflows.
Reviews
Hands-on review: Google Fitbit Air
Hands-on review: Apple Creator Studio earns its keep
Game review: Pragmata (PC)
Hands-on review: Pocket AI Notetaker handy, not revolutionary
Hands-on review: Samsung Galaxy A57 5G smartphone
Hands-on review: Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra refined flagship
Hands-on review: Avast Deepfake Guard and Scam Guardian
Game review: Taxi Chaos 2 (Xbox Series X)
Hands-on Review: Dell Pro 13 Premium laptop
Expert Columns
Architecture doesn't need AI to transform it; it needs AI to make it calmer
Why data management will make or break your RISE with SAP migration
AI is testing the limits of Zero Trust
The energy advantage: The next growth opportunity for Australia and New Zealand
Why the next phase of industrial AI will be measured in uptime, energy savings and output
Modern data teams: key roles, structures and data quality
Most pharma AI is borrowed, ours is built
Why AI infrastructure planning must happen now
The psychology of better decision-making in the real-time enterprise
AI can produce the work, it can't produce the lawyer
Interviews
Interviews and video coverage from the network
Rimini Street offers AI magic without the forced ERP migration
Customers at the centre of Adobe's new AI evangelist role
Jamf launches AI Governance to enhance visibility, security
AI models expose new attack surfaces through misconfiguration
Cvent says event success lies in genuine human interaction
Recent Artificial Intelligence News
AI search answers vary widely across major platforms
A New Zealand study found users can get markedly different brand recommendations from ChatGPT, Google AI Mode and Microsoft Copilot.
Accenture Song finds Kiwi brands still failing promises
A new survey suggests customer frustration is nudging more New Zealand shoppers towards AI tools, even as brands struggle to rebuild trust.
Central Interceptor wins top NZ construction award
Auckland's $1.6 billion wastewater tunnel has been recognised for cutting overflows and boosting resilience, as contractors were honoured nationwide.
Netsafe launches nationwide online safety programme
A third of young New Zealanders have sought personal advice from AI, highlighting a trust gap that Netsafe hopes to tackle with its new programme.
NRC explores how AI could boost council services and decision-making
The review could identify quick wins for Northland residents, while weighing privacy, security and ethical risks before any rollout.
NZSIS warns security threats intensify across New Zealand
New Zealand's national security threats have intensified amid geopolitical upheaval, foreign espionage and online violent extremism, NZSIS says.
New Zealand data centre strategy backs AI expansion
Growing use of cloud and AI is driving demand for local processing, as the sector warns New Zealand risks relying on offshore systems.
Companies must adapt to rising AI costs, tech CEO says
Rising token-based charges and compliance risks are forcing firms to monitor AI agents more closely, Fusion5's chief executive says.
BoardPro launches AI Minutes for board meeting drafts
Board secretaries could cut hours of post-meeting admin as the new drafting tool works from Zoom and Teams transcripts, with human approval still required.
New Zealand adds Applied Intelligent Systems subject
Students will learn to work with AI tools across multiple industries as New Zealand broadens senior secondary options to match labour-market demand.
Microsoft appoints Nick Walton as NZ Managing Director
The appointment strengthens Microsoft's push in New Zealand as businesses weigh AI adoption, cloud investment and data-residency demands.
New Zealand unveils nine industry-led school subjects
Students in Years 12 and 13 will gain school qualifications tied to jobs and training as the government seeks to ease skills shortages.
New Zealand lenders adopt AI amid data readiness gap
Most lenders still lack the data quality and governance needed to trust AI, even as 76% use it for credit and fraud decisions.
Tech New Zealand urges action on digital skills gap
New Zealand's tech growth is being constrained by a deepening talent shortage, with firms struggling to fill AI, cyber and cloud roles.
Civil Contractors New Zealand conference heads to Wellington
With more than 600 delegates expected, the event will put transport, procurement and pipeline concerns in front of election-year politicians.
New Zealand SMEs widen AI adoption gap, MYOB finds
Smaller firms risk being left behind as medium-sized companies in New Zealand are far more likely to have AI embedded in daily operations.
SyncHub urges firms to fix fragmented financial data
Fragmented banking, payments and accounting data is slowing reporting and weakening AI answers for businesses trying to act in real time.
HomeVault launches AI property records platform globally
Missing warranties and compliance papers could now delay claims and sales less often, as the New Zealand startup takes its property records tool worldwide.
Datacom finds NZ firms untested on outage recovery
Many New Zealand firms say they could ride out an outage, but fewer than four in ten have tested recovery of critical systems recently.
Revolut partners OpenAI to add ChatGPT Go to plans
Millions of Revolut customers will get OpenAI's ChatGPT Go free for up to a year, as the fintech bundles AI into its paid plans.
Job Moves
Microsoft appoints Nick Walton as NZ Managing Director
One New Zealand names CFO, CTO in executive succession
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Tax Traders appoints Chloe Kyrke-Smith as Head of Product
Dentsu Aotearoa launches technology practice with Knox
HP New Zealand appoints Daniel Roberts as Head of Enterprise
Spectrum Consulting names Darryl van Rensburg for AI drive
Inde appoints Matthew Flatt as Technical Director of Data
EY New Zealand appoints Willett & Bremner to tech roles
TenPeaks appoints Whineray as Independent Chairman
