AI is taking root across Government, from kākāpō backpacks to payroll bots

Government tech leaders discussed the use of AI at a Wellington summit in early September. (Image: BD)

Tue, 09 Sep 2025

As part of our Productivity Unleashed series, BusinessDesk's Cecile Meier reports on how the public sector is trying to reap a productivity dividend from artificial intelligence.When thinking about artificial intelligence in government, the Department of Conservation (DoC) is hardly the first agency that comes to mind. Yet DoC chief information officer, Richard Kay, told a ServiceNow government summit in Wellington last week that DoC is already using AI in ways that free up staff and stretch limited budgets. “My job iro...

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