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
Young engineers find automation careers in horticulture
A shortage of visible pathways is pushing mechatronics graduates into horticulture automation jobs that are reshaping New Zealand's post-harvest sector.
Assurity Consulting puts quality at core of AI push
Reliable AI adoption is becoming a competitive issue, with the consultancy warning firms that quality checks must be built in from the start.
Division Zero launches continuous cyber testing platform
New Zealand firms are under pressure to spot vulnerabilities sooner as cyber attacks accelerate and annual audits leave long gaps unchecked.
Enlighten Designs becomes New Zealand's first Claude partner
For New Zealand organisations, the partnership offers a local Claude specialist with certified support for putting AI into everyday workflows safely.
Samsung names seven young Kiwi innovators in prize haul
The competition's $24,000 prize pool was split among projects tackling communication, education, accessibility and environmental problems.
New Zealand firms race ahead with AI despite data gaps
Despite weak data foundations, 65 per cent of local organisations are already running AI projects, while many cannot measure success effectively.
Analyst Insights
Research and market analysis connected to Artificial Intelligence
AI isn't the next cloud. Don't let it outgrow IT
Drumbeat CEO: PR was never broken, just out of reach
Yooz launches agentic AI for non-PO invoice coding
Cloudinary named Gartner Leader in digital asset management
Commvault adds identity resilience tools for IDRecover
Featured News
Palo Alto Networks: AI hunting vulnerability in legacy systems
Critical infrastructure operators are being urged to merge IT and OT security as AI speeds up attacks on ageing industrial systems.
Sectigo targets ANZ growth as certificate lifespans shrink
Shorter certificate lifespans are pushing Australian and New Zealand firms to automate renewals, or face higher security and outage risks.
CU Medicine's Philip Chiu: Surgery goes digital, but the surgeon stays
CU Medicine Dean Philip Chiu says AI and robotics will take surgery from analogue to digital, with embodied AI assisting the surgeon.
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.
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
Could AI enable successful socialism? Eliminating the fatal flaw
Cyber security now starts at the job interview
Cybersecurity Awareness: The Importance of Getting the Basics Right
AI Investment in Australia and New Zealand Drives Data Focus
From AI That Answers to AI That Acts
When AI Grades Student Work, Who Checks the Feedback?
How Local Agentic AI Is Coming to Business PCs
Nexxen's 2027 APAC Predictions: Four Shifts Set to Reshape TV and Digital Advertising
Address-Anchored Identity: Why Data Quality Is the Missing Link in eIDV
Shadow AI Is Creating an Unmanaged Identity Crisis Across APAC
Interviews
Interviews and video coverage from the network
Palo Alto Networks: AI hunting vulnerability in legacy systems
Sectigo targets ANZ growth as certificate lifespans shrink
CU Medicine's Philip Chiu: Surgery goes digital, but the surgeon stays
Transform your business with Telstra Adaptive Networks
Float: Exposing the hidden costs of insurance premiums
Recent Artificial Intelligence News
LinearB launches Agentic Studio to aid coding agents
Rising AI coding spend is pushing engineering teams to tackle review delays and release bottlenecks, as LinearB adds a new context layer.
Krafton unveils Ludi 0.2 in robotics research push
The gaming group is betting on robotics to extend its AI expertise beyond games, as Ludi 0.2 targets more natural human-robot interaction.
Cybercriminals hijack LLM access, racking up bills
Victims can face six-figure charges in hours as stolen credentials let attackers run large language models on company accounts.
CrowdStrike expands ties with Dynatrace & CoreWeave
Security teams may gain faster investigations as CrowdStrike links Falcon to Dynatrace telemetry and brings protection to CoreWeave's AI cloud.
Adobe launches free tools for startups in new scheme
Eligible startups will get 12 months of free access to Adobe and Semrush tools as the software group courts founders with tight budgets.
CrowdStrike & Dell launch AI Factory security package
The package aims to help enterprises secure AI systems from infrastructure to agents as they rush to deploy production workloads.
Mistral releases open-weight ML4 for coding & cyber
The open model is aimed at regulated sectors needing on-premise control over code and cyber work, while benchmarking atop open rivals.
QorusDocs launches AI workspace for law firm pitches
Law firms could cut the time and risk in pitching work as the new system pulls approved content into shared AI drafting and review workflows.
Palo Alto Networks launches unified SaaS cloud security
Security teams may gain a clearer picture of connected threats as Palo Alto Networks folds SaaS, cloud, identity and AI risks into one platform.
Avocado Consulting buys AI Consulting Group in expansion
The tie-up adds 20 specialists and gives Australian clients a broader AI offer as demand shifts from trials to production and oversight grows harder.
Dayforce launches agentic HCM platform with native AI
Customers can now automate more HR tasks as Dayforce adds native AI tools designed to govern approvals, security and auditability across its platform.
NUS Law joins Legora's legal AI scholars programme
Students at NUS Law will be trained to use AI only after mastering core legal skills, as the faculty joins Legora's scholars programme.
Oracle NetSuite launches SuiteSkills AI tools for customers
More than 13,000 customers can now use the new tools to analyse data and trigger actions in NetSuite while keeping permissions unchanged.
Oracle NetSuite unveils new AI tools for cloud ERP
Businesses could automate more finance and operations work as NetSuite adds AI Workspaces, agents and wider access to external models.
Nvidia launches RTX Spark laptops with local AI push
Premium Windows laptops with on-device AI now start at USD $2,399, as Nvidia extends its Blackwell RTX hardware into the consumer market.
Sweet launches virtual patching for cloud & AI workloads
Security teams can now block exploit attempts on live cloud and AI workloads while permanent fixes wait to clear testing and release processes.
Zero100 launches Peerworks for agentic supply chains
The initiative aims to give supply chain teams practical guidance on agentic AI, as large firms seek to link planning, sourcing and inventory decisions.
Claris opens wider preview of agentic FileMaker development
The expanded preview gives FileMaker developers earlier access to AI agents that can edit files directly, with general availability due in late February 2027.
RegSensus launches to unify financial compliance monitoring
The merger-backed firm now serves 400 clients in more than 30 countries as banks face tighter, more complex compliance checks across markets.
Coyote & Powell launches JUNROS travel organiser in NZ
Travellers can now turn scattered booking emails, photos and PDFs into a single itinerary, after the app appeared on the New Zealand App Store.
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
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