New Zealanders demand trust & ethics in AI adoption, study finds

Research commissioned by One NZ has found that transparency and trust are considered essential by the public for the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) in New Zealand.

The One NZ AI Trust Report revealed that while 77% of New Zealanders have knowingly used AI-powered services in the past year, nearly half do not trust large companies to use the technology ethically.

The study, which surveyed 1,000 New Zealanders, highlighted that 62% of respondents would discontinue using a company's services if they had concerns about its AI use. The primary concerns among participants centred around the misuse of personal data, cited by 67% of respondents, job losses at 65%, and unfair decision-making processes, noted by 62%.

The report pointed to the growing prevalence of AI in everyday life across the country but found that a significant trust deficit remains when it comes to how larger organisations employ these tools.

Further results from the survey indicated that 87% of New Zealanders believe strong data privacy protections are either important or essential when it comes to the deployment of artificial intelligence. Additionally, respondents saw potential advantages with AI, including increased productivity (43%), strengthened cybersecurity (42%), and new opportunities in innovation (41%).

According to the findings, certain industries such as government, banking, and healthcare are facing greater challenges in earning public confidence in their use of AI technologies. The survey also showed that New Zealanders are far more likely to trust small businesses and large domestic firms to act responsibly and ethically with AI compared to multinational companies.

Concerns regarding sustainability were also reported in the research, with 48% of New Zealanders expressing anxiety about AI-related energy consumption and the potential for greenwashing claims.

The report encourages businesses in New Zealand to prioritise trust by embedding transparent and human-centred AI systems. The recommendations include clear communication, robust governance, and a commitment to fairness to address legitimate public concerns.

One NZ Chief Executive Officer Jason Paris said, "The opportunity for New Zealand to boost productivity with AI is massive, but it'll only work if Kiwis trust the right steps are being taken when it comes to using these tools ethically."

Paris added, "We commissioned this report to listen to New Zealanders and help businesses use AI in a way that's transparent, ethical, and ultimately human-led. Businesses that fail to earn trust will fail to realise AI's full potential."

The study found that, despite public reservations, many New Zealanders see value in the technology provided there is effective oversight and safeguards in place. The report offers a roadmap that businesses can follow to earn and sustain public confidence in the evolving AI landscape.

Paris commented, "At One NZ, we've done a lot of groundwork, making sure our approach is guided by the right ethics and data privacy frameworks. We're starting to see real world results from the technology as we roll it out, including better customer experiences and increased fraud protections."

"The businesses that lead on AI will be the ones Kiwis choose to engage with, work for, and support.

"While we recognise the enormous potential benefits of AI, it's important to appreciate many Kiwis have concerns, particularly around how their data will be used, how decisions will be made by these autonomous agents, and what this means for people's jobs. Importantly, people want to know when AI is being used, and how to get support from a human where needed."

He continued, "That's why we believe communication and training go hand-in-hand with any rollout of these tools. Transparency is key, and we've committed a quarter of our budget to ensuring our staff gain AI skills that are transferable within the market."

"We're hoping by sharing our experiences we can help other organisations to maximise AI tools, and boost productivity for New Zealand overall. It's also important to remember that to benefit from AI, businesses need to ensure they have the underlying technology in place, including an AI-ready network and digital infrastructure."

Paris concluded, "AI isn't just about LLMs, algorithms and data science, it also requires a great connectivity network to underpin it. A robust, high performance, and secure network isn't a nice-to-have - it's essential for organisations to be able to truly harness the transformative power of AI."