Economic Benefit
AI is projected to add $76b to New Zealand’s GDP by 2038, powering our future high-tech economy. However, Research confirms that over half of New Zealanders are concerned about the negative impacts of AI, and productivity gains are undermined by unreliable outputs, biased decisions, and safety concerns (Ipsos).
Realizing Productivity Gains
Realizing these benefits demands addressing the "Trust" pillar of the Digital Strategy for Aotearoa (alongside Motivation, Access, and Skills). Trust gives consumers and businesses the confidence to engage. RAISE aims to establish NZ as a global leader in responsible AI (RAI) innovation and deployment, where safety, integrity, and reliability drive our competitive edge.
Sovereign AI Capability
We propose the development of a sovereign large language model (LLM) alongside partners such as Catalyst Cloud , Public AI Network, and Metagov, ensuring NZ retains control over its critical AI infrastructure and data.
Future-Ready Workforce
Through initiatives like the Applied Doctorates scheme and subsidised consulting for SMEs, we would enable the upskilling of NZ's workforce and support the commercialisation of responsible AI.
Export Advantage
We aim to recast trust as a market asset and a cultural strength. A focus on “trust by design” will be a key competitive advantage, enabling our exports to thrive in international markets with complex regulatory environments.
Global Market
The global market for responsible and explainable AI is expanding rapidly. Recent estimates project the explainable AI market alone will exceed US$20 billion by 2030, reflecting demand in sectors such as healthcare, finance, and government.