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
Industrial AI: making New Zealand's expertise go further
By connecting scarce expertise to everyday operations, Industrial AI could help New Zealand manufacturers make faster decisions and boost productivity.
Police say they're assessing how to use emerging technology after report of 'risky' AI use
Police used unapproved AI workarounds to speed up criminal probes, but officials say tighter controls are needed to protect privacy and evidence.
Police AI: Investigator uploads 350,000 lines of audio in risky workaround
Pressure on investigators drove them to use unsecured AI tools, risking confidential police evidence and exposing major gaps in oversight.
New Zealand fractional leadership market surges 90%
Rising demand from smaller firms has pushed more than 1,000 part-time senior executives into New Zealand businesses, with AI roles growing fast.
MYOB launches Assist app for New Zealand small businesses
Small businesses in New Zealand will lose access to two older mobile tools on 23 November as MYOB folds their functions into one app.
Enlighten Designs named OpenAI Select Partner in NZ
The Hamilton software firm gains access to OpenAI support as it helps clients move AI projects from pilots into everyday use.
Analyst Insights
Research and market analysis connected to Artificial Intelligence
Contrast Security named leader in IDC DAST assessment
Sphera named leader in Verdantix risk intelligence
The Real Data Transformation Challenge is Changing How People Work
Extreme previews on-prem AI zones for enterprise networks
NiCE named Gartner CCaaS leader as AI revenue jumps
Featured News
Transform your business with Telstra Adaptive Networks
Businesses facing outages and surging demand can now reroute traffic, scale bandwidth and cut IT admin as Telstra's network adapts in real time.
Float: Exposing the hidden costs of insurance premiums
Policyholders could save thousands as Float says hidden commissions of 15% to 25% and admin-heavy renewals are inflating premiums.
Scaling AI means reinventing how work gets done
The shift could reshape hiring, audits and pay as firms move from AI pilots to automated workflows that rely on new guardrails.
Workday is a Fortune 500 startup reborn for the AI era
Its AI-first overhaul has cut layers, sped product cycles and left the company betting that startup-style speed can still serve Fortune 500 customers.
GitHub: Developers aren't disappearing. They're leveling up
AI is pushing software teams into higher-value roles, with GitHub saying developers are moving from coding to orchestration and business alignment.
The future of successful HR will use AI with human oversight
AI could free HR teams from routine admin, but Workday says sensitive hiring decisions need deterministic guardrails and explicit human oversight.
AI attacks demand operational change in the post Mythos era
Only 5% of Australian companies are ready for AI-driven attacks, leaving most exposed as threat actors move at machine speed.
UST: Businesses must rethink how AI returns are measured
Australian firms risk spending increasing resources on AI pilots that ultimately fail to prove gains in revenue, efficiency or customer service.
Data sovereignty is a strategic imperative in the AI era
AI is pushing boards to weigh local control against cloud convenience, with 80% of respondents saying sovereignty matters more in vendor selection.
Logitech makes largest B2B move yet with Rally Bar 2
The Swiss group is betting on extra processing power and AI-ready features to keep enterprise meeting rooms usable for longer.
Organisations need a strategic approach to skills in the AI world
Companies are missing out on returns from AI and other new tools because staff training and change management are lagging behind.
AI workloads & modern facilities driving Honeywell growth
Data centre operators are under pressure to supply their own electricity, opening the door for Honeywell to add on-site power and utilities.
Logitech blends style, work practicality with Zone Vibe Pro
Hybrid workers will soon be able to effortlessly swap between calls and music without changing headsets, as Logitech's new model lands in October.
AI demands network agility and better operational governance
Governance gaps are leaving most organisations exposed as AI traffic surges and networks struggle to keep pace with machine-speed demands.
Interview: Cloudera says open-ended AI spending is over
Enterprises are now demanding proof of value and tighter controls as AI budgets face scrutiny over compute costs and deployment choices.
Zscaler takes zero trust beyond the corporate network
Critical infrastructure operators are using cellular links to secure distributed assets as outages and spoofing raise the stakes for resilience.
Workiva: The secret compliance and reporting arms race
Driven by improved tooling, finance teams are meeting higher standards as regulators and analysts scrutinise disclosures faster.
Exclusive: ABBYY says AI build costs will drive buying
Enterprises could cut AI spend by up to 80% by shifting document workflows away from custom builds and into standard platforms.
Exclusive: ABBYY brings zero-shot document AI to Vantage
Enterprises can now extract data from unseen document types without templates, as ABBYY rolls out zero-shot capabilities in Vantage.
ABB: Renewables usage puts NZ in data centre sweet spot
Renewables are leaving New Zealand well placed for data centres, but ABB says grid upgrades and smarter use of existing assets are needed.
Why businesses need more than technology to scale AI
Only 19 per cent of enterprise AI use cases hit most or all goals, as Infosys urges firms to pair technology with data, training and governance.
Interview: Cloudera bets on hybrid AI growth in JAPAC
Banks and large enterprises in Asia-Pacific are rethinking cloud-first AI plans as costs, sovereignty and regulation favour hybrid deployments.
Genetec: Open platforms key as physical security evolves
Businesses are prioritising hybrid, open security systems to protect existing hardware investments while adopting cloud and AI tools more gradually.
Docusign's next move: Own the contract, not just the signature
Rapid adoption as Docusign's IAM platform cuts contract delays and turns signed agreements into AI-driven workflows.
AI transforming physical security into enterprise data solution
AI and cloud tools are turning cameras into live operational data sources, helping firms cut costs, spot errors and manage fleets centrally.
Future of AI is distributed infrastructure built on open source
Rising AI demand is exposing cloud bottlenecks, as firms eye in-house open source systems to cut costs and limit vendor lock-in.
AI transforms CX to go beyond the chatbot
Consumers now expect faster, more automated support as AI agents handle complex customer journeys, though many firms still struggle to prove ROI.
Open source is powering the next generation of frontier AI
Rising inference demand and custom hardware needs are pushing AI infrastructure beyond standard cloud setups, boosting open source tools.
Governance controls are crucial for AI adoption and modernisation
Trusted partners and tighter guardrails are becoming essential as AI agents expand the attack surface and put data sovereignty on the line.
Datadog targets enterprise risk with AI and automation
Australian enterprises are under pressure to tame AI-driven complexity, compliance risk and rising technology costs as Datadog broadens its platform.
The internet times are a'changing Fastly
Bot traffic is forcing Fastly to adapt its edge cloud tools as publishers and AI firms battle over caching, access and data protection.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Reviews
Hands-on review: Samsung Z Fold8
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)
Expert Columns
Shadow AI Is Creating an Unmanaged Identity Crisis Across APAC
It's time to embrace our robot overlords
Experts discuss key tech learnings from BIGSOUND
Industrial AI: making New Zealand's expertise go further
The Next Evolution of Data Centres Isn't Technology. It's People
The future of iGaming belongs to operators that can scale trust, not transactions
AI moves fast: are you training your people to use it wisely?
Small but mighty - micro data centres are the foundation of security and disaster recovery
Data Governance in the AI Era: Why One-Off Projects Fail
Australia needs more skilled workers. It also needs to stop wasting their time
Interviews
Interviews and video coverage from the networkRecent Artificial Intelligence News
Red Hat opens Singapore AI centre to scale deployment
The Singapore hub should help firms turn AI pilots into production systems faster, with engineering support and skills training across Asia Pacific.
Compensation leaders miss impact of above-market pay
Many employers cannot link above-market pay to performance, with 58% assessing fewer than half of significant premiums against business outcomes.
Intuit launches Credit Karma Tax with free federal filing
Users can now file federal returns free as Intuit ties Credit Karma closer to tax prep and offers state filing for USD $15.
DeepL selects VAST Data for AI translation platform
The deployment should let DeepL's researchers work on larger language models and real-time voice translation with less manual data movement.
Securonix launches behavioural analytics for AI threats
With AI agents widening the attack surface, security teams need to spot abnormal activity across human and machine users before damage is done.
Darwinium adds AI agent fraud checks across journeys
Fraud teams may struggle to spot AI-driven scams and agent-led abuse as Darwinium moves to assess intent across entire digital journeys.
Interactive urges firms to tighten AI oversight rules
Businesses need tighter controls as AI adoption spreads, with Interactive urging reviews, pre-launch checks and long-term workforce planning.
Getac launches B360X rugged notebooks for field AI
Frontline teams in remote sites can now run AI workloads without cloud links, as the new notebooks add local processing and a 14-inch display.
Extreme says AI coworker saved 1,000 hours in month
In its first month, the tool prompted 98% of critical alerts and cut troubleshooting time by an estimated 1,000 hours for customers.
Verra Mobility launches AI road safety cameras in Australia
Road safety agencies in Australia can now use fixed and mobile AI cameras that also support red-light, speed and number plate enforcement.
Palo Alto Networks launches Cortex XDR One for AI agents
Businesses adopting AI agents now face new endpoint risks, which Palo Alto Networks says its Cortex XDR One platform is built to contain.
Progress adds Teams app & Smart Agent to RAG platform
The update lets employees get source-cited AI answers in Teams and reduces the need for custom orchestration across business systems.
Lava flags NVIDIA DCGM flaw exposing AI GPU servers
About 2,100 internet-exposed monitoring hosts left AI GPU telemetry open, putting more than 12,000 GPUs and roughly USD $100 million of hardware at risk.
Fortinet urges urgent patching after AI-found flaws
Enterprise and service provider users are being told to patch exposed devices first as Fortinet warns AI is accelerating exploit development.
Riskified launches AI agent identity checks for merchants
Merchants could face fresh refund fraud and account-takeover risks as consumer AI assistants start handling shopping and support requests.
AI tool sprawl leaves US executives facing orchestration gap
Three in five large US firms say AI tool sprawl has stalled strategy, as 85% of executives report disconnected technology stacks.
Gainsight shifts to value-based pricing as AI grows
Customers will pay according to revenue and accounts managed, as Gainsight drops seat-based charging for its customer success software next year.
Nvidia & Microsoft unveil AI agents for Windows PCs
The move could keep AI work on-device, as Microsoft adds security controls for agents while Nvidia brings its chips to Windows PCs.
Jev AI lookalike domains surge after launch, UpGuard warns
Users could have prompts, files and API keys stolen as 167 lookalike domains linked to Jev were registered within 13 days of launch.
Sprinklr brings customer feedback AI tools to Gemini
Gemini Enterprise users can analyse surveys, reviews and social posts without leaving their existing workflows, as Sprinklr expands access to its feedback tools.
Job Moves
Ingram Micro names Becs Paterson to New Zealand role
Equinox IT appoints Victoria MacLennan as director
Inde appoints Nish Sudhakaran as AI & data director
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
