1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:03,120 Speaker 1: The release of the government's first AI strategy outlines how 2 00:00:03,120 --> 00:00:06,920 Speaker 1: the technology can be used to boost productivity. Science, Innovation 3 00:00:07,040 --> 00:00:12,000 Speaker 1: and Technology Minister Doctor Shaneletti says private industries that adoption 4 00:00:12,119 --> 00:00:15,680 Speaker 1: of AI could boost New Zealand's GDP by seventy six 5 00:00:16,079 --> 00:00:20,759 Speaker 1: billion dollars. So Katherine Bird is Business New Zealand's advocacy 6 00:00:20,800 --> 00:00:22,919 Speaker 1: director and joins me right now, Good morning to you, Katherine, 7 00:00:23,520 --> 00:00:25,840 Speaker 1: Good morning. So what do you reckon the government's thinking 8 00:00:25,880 --> 00:00:26,440 Speaker 1: about AI. 9 00:00:28,280 --> 00:00:31,480 Speaker 2: Look, I think it's really great to have a strategy released. 10 00:00:32,400 --> 00:00:34,680 Speaker 2: You know, business wants to know how the government is 11 00:00:34,720 --> 00:00:39,200 Speaker 2: going to treat it in terms of legislation, and when 12 00:00:39,200 --> 00:00:42,080 Speaker 2: they get some clarity around that, that sort of gives 13 00:00:42,080 --> 00:00:45,560 Speaker 2: them more confidence to invest in the technology. Really. So yeah, 14 00:00:45,600 --> 00:00:48,560 Speaker 2: we think it's a good approach. It's a reasonably light 15 00:00:48,600 --> 00:00:52,720 Speaker 2: handed approach and it's you know, based on current legislation 16 00:00:52,840 --> 00:00:56,680 Speaker 2: that we already have things like the Privacy Act, Consumer 17 00:00:56,760 --> 00:01:00,840 Speaker 2: Rights and human Rights so they will all continue to 18 00:01:00,840 --> 00:01:04,399 Speaker 2: be in place and they are technology neutral, so they'll 19 00:01:04,440 --> 00:01:05,720 Speaker 2: be sort of the guidelines. 20 00:01:06,319 --> 00:01:08,320 Speaker 1: So it's important to have our regulatory ducks in a 21 00:01:08,400 --> 00:01:10,880 Speaker 1: row before we plunge in. But some might be saying 22 00:01:10,880 --> 00:01:12,880 Speaker 1: a hands off approach might be the best way. Just 23 00:01:12,959 --> 00:01:14,759 Speaker 1: let private industry do it. I mean some of them 24 00:01:14,760 --> 00:01:15,640 Speaker 1: are already started. 25 00:01:17,280 --> 00:01:21,959 Speaker 2: Yeah, look absolutely there's a lot of businesses using AI currently. 26 00:01:22,640 --> 00:01:25,920 Speaker 2: But I think business also wants to be doing it 27 00:01:25,959 --> 00:01:30,959 Speaker 2: responsibly because you know, to successfully use the technology, you 28 00:01:31,040 --> 00:01:33,560 Speaker 2: need to have consumer trust and we need to be 29 00:01:33,560 --> 00:01:37,160 Speaker 2: looking after people's data and their privacy. So business will 30 00:01:37,160 --> 00:01:40,679 Speaker 2: be completely up for that. But yeah, look, the productivity 31 00:01:41,120 --> 00:01:42,880 Speaker 2: potential is fantastic. 32 00:01:43,959 --> 00:01:48,560 Speaker 1: So who are already using AI? I understand large businesses 33 00:01:48,600 --> 00:01:51,680 Speaker 1: have hoed in, but small businesses are a bit more reluctant. 34 00:01:53,120 --> 00:01:56,600 Speaker 2: Yeah, that looks to be the case. So the material 35 00:01:56,640 --> 00:01:59,800 Speaker 2: that they've released shows that our small businesses have a 36 00:01:59,840 --> 00:02:04,120 Speaker 2: lot uptake than say Australian small business. So that is 37 00:02:04,160 --> 00:02:06,000 Speaker 2: a bit of a concern because we don't want to 38 00:02:06,000 --> 00:02:08,519 Speaker 2: get left behind and we are a country of small 39 00:02:08,560 --> 00:02:12,799 Speaker 2: businesses and so to boost their productivity, we do need 40 00:02:12,840 --> 00:02:15,640 Speaker 2: them to really embrace it. So I think in the 41 00:02:15,680 --> 00:02:19,960 Speaker 2: strategy there's some plans to you know, support small business 42 00:02:19,960 --> 00:02:23,080 Speaker 2: on that kind of digital journey, and we certainly welcome that. 43 00:02:24,120 --> 00:02:27,040 Speaker 1: Is this seventy six billion dollar GDP hit, was it 44 00:02:27,080 --> 00:02:28,640 Speaker 1: an exaggeration or is that true? 45 00:02:30,560 --> 00:02:33,680 Speaker 2: Look, I think people are being quite blown away about 46 00:02:33,720 --> 00:02:36,480 Speaker 2: the potential. And you know, one of the one of 47 00:02:36,560 --> 00:02:39,600 Speaker 2: the companies in the material as an example is Halter, 48 00:02:39,840 --> 00:02:45,880 Speaker 2: which is the that fantastic new company that's doing you know. 49 00:02:48,960 --> 00:02:49,400 Speaker 1: Cows. 50 00:02:49,480 --> 00:02:53,120 Speaker 2: Yeah, yes, absolutely, So that's that's a really great example. 51 00:02:53,240 --> 00:02:56,000 Speaker 2: You know, they use AI and that technology, they you know, 52 00:02:56,080 --> 00:02:59,360 Speaker 2: getting rid of electric fences and apparently that's a billion 53 00:02:59,400 --> 00:03:03,399 Speaker 2: dollar company already in its valuation, and it's I think 54 00:03:03,440 --> 00:03:05,720 Speaker 2: it's only really been around for about five years. So 55 00:03:06,240 --> 00:03:09,120 Speaker 2: you know, if New Zealand can like have the creativity 56 00:03:09,120 --> 00:03:11,960 Speaker 2: and the innovation and use the technology to do that 57 00:03:12,080 --> 00:03:17,079 Speaker 2: kind of business, then you know, a great a great future. True. 58 00:03:17,160 --> 00:03:19,839 Speaker 1: Absolutely, Now we could get a GDP boost, but what 59 00:03:19,919 --> 00:03:22,640 Speaker 1: might it mean for employment numbers? Might we be making 60 00:03:22,639 --> 00:03:25,480 Speaker 1: loads of money but have very few jobs? 61 00:03:26,160 --> 00:03:30,280 Speaker 2: Yeah, people are concerned about the job market. I think 62 00:03:30,320 --> 00:03:33,559 Speaker 2: if we look at history and the introduction of new technology, 63 00:03:33,600 --> 00:03:35,920 Speaker 2: there will be jobs destroyed, but there will also be 64 00:03:36,000 --> 00:03:40,160 Speaker 2: jobs created. And we you know, often the jobs that 65 00:03:40,400 --> 00:03:44,160 Speaker 2: are taken out of, you know, with this new technology 66 00:03:44,160 --> 00:03:49,200 Speaker 2: are that sort of repetitive, dull, boring and sometimes dangerous jobs. 67 00:03:49,240 --> 00:03:52,600 Speaker 2: So Yeah, we think people will be able to use it. 68 00:03:52,640 --> 00:03:56,040 Speaker 2: People should embrace the technology, know how to use it 69 00:03:56,320 --> 00:04:00,839 Speaker 2: and make it part of their You know why they're 70 00:04:00,840 --> 00:04:02,960 Speaker 2: a great employee because they know how to use it 71 00:04:03,000 --> 00:04:05,040 Speaker 2: and they can increase their productivity. 72 00:04:05,720 --> 00:04:09,360 Speaker 1: Well, Catherine, here comes the future. Brace yourself. It's inevitable, 73 00:04:09,400 --> 00:04:11,520 Speaker 1: as Thanos said, and I thank you for your time today, 74 00:04:11,600 --> 00:04:14,360 Speaker 1: Katherine Beard, who's Business New Zealand's advocacy director. 75 00:04:15,440 --> 00:04:18,440 Speaker 2: For more from Early Edition with Ryan Bridge. Listen live 76 00:04:18,560 --> 00:04:21,560 Speaker 2: to News Talks it Be from five am weekdays, or 77 00:04:21,600 --> 00:04:23,520 Speaker 2: follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.