I’ve spent the winter months writing Everyone In, a draft AI policy for New Zealand, and today I’m giving it away for any party to use. I’m getting increasingly concerned our politicians are missing the AI moment, and what will happen if we drift past it without a plan.
Education is an example of where this all gets really human for me. Currently, teachers are being left to work out AI by themselves, in their own time, without national guidance, training or support. That isn’t fair on them or our kids.
I want the relationship between teacher and student to stay at the heart of a great education in NZ. AI could give teachers more time for that relationship. My concern is that using AI too early or badly (particularly before Year 7), could encourage children to hand over their thinking before they’ve built confidence in their own brains, judgement and unique view of the world.
There are so many similar choices that we have to make about AI throughout NZ society, that we're not.
And doing nothing with AI is not a neutral choice.
If we do this right, small businesses could get the sort of capability only bigger firms could afford three years ago, if we help them use it.
A government that doesn’t understand AI itself thoughcan’t credibly lead our country through a societal evolution of this importance. Ministers and Govt department chief executives who’ve can use the tools powerfully themselves will make faster and better choices for our people.
I want Māori to keep authority over Māori data, language and culture, and to use AI to help them thrive on Māori terms.
And I want deliberate choices to be made by and with NZ communities about foreign owned data centres using our power and water, and what New Zealand should get back.
The video walks through the five pillars of my AI Plan in more detail, what they will cost and how they could work.
Please watch it, then visit everyonein.nz to sign your name to the document. Only names like yours, en masse, will cause our politicians to take notice of this.
Then please send it to two other New Zealanders.
Sources & citations
- Everyone In, the full draft AI policy and public supporter wall.
- Everyone In workings, sources and three-year cost calculations.
- AI Forum, Aotearoa AI Awards 2026.
