RAISE - Responsible AI for a Smart Economy

The Three Pillars of RAISE

Technology

Developing technical advancements in transparency, robustness, explainability, security, and safety.

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Frameworks

Establishing thought leadership in accountability, ethics, human rights, governance, and regulation.

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Systems

Building infrastructure and solutions collaboratively with industry and the public sector.

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The RAISE Vision

Responsible Artificial Intelligence for a Smart Economy (RAISE) envisions New Zealand at the forefront of trustworthy and safe AI. As a consortium of like-minded people and organisations favouring a better future for AI in New Zealand, RAISE unites top academics, industry experts, and Māori innovation networks to advocate for technologies that are transparent, explainable, and operate in ways people can understand.

We aspire to build a future where AI in Aotearoa is developed with our highest values in mind—integrity, human rights, and transparency.

Why New Zealand? Our scale and social cohesion make Aotearoa the ideal place to study the real-world societal impacts of AI deployment. RAISE positions NZ as a world-leading centre for understanding the social impact of technology, translating research into enduring benefits for our economy and society.

Advocating for Change

Realising responsible AI requires more than just technical solutions; it demands robust governance and active public engagement. RAISE aims to serve as a trusted advisor and public voice, leading the charge for AI regulation in New Zealand.

RAISE leadership spearheaded the open letter calling on the New Zealand Parliament to lead a bipartisan effort for risk management-based AI regulation and the establishment of a national AI oversight body. Appropriate regulation promotes, rather than inhibits, innovation by providing certainty on boundaries, spurring the development of solutions with confidence.

Read the Open Letter

Strategic Impact

Economic Impact

AI could add $76b to New Zealand’s GDP by 2038. We aim to realise these benefits through trustworthy innovation.

Mātauranga Māori

Partnering with Vision Mātauranga to develop tools grounded in te ao Māori and create high-value Indigenous economic opportunities.

Investing in People

Cultivating the next generation of AI talent, ensuring they are both technically brilliant and socially and ethically literate.