AI for Business: Why the tech needs people & culture to thrive.
As New Zealand surges ahead in AI adoption, business leaders are discovering that embedding artificial intelligence into their operations is 10% technology and 90% people and culture.
The real challenge isn’t buying the next tool, t’s reimagining how work gets done and enabling every employee to confidently adopt AI in their daily workflows.
Recent stats paint a remarkable picture: 87% of NZ organisations now use some form of AI, up from 48% just two years ago. But dig deeper and the business impact is scattered, often limited to experiments led by early adopters, leaving most of the ROI unrealised. True returns only show up when AI isn’t just a pilot, it’s embedded, it’s routine, and everyone is on board.
Reimagining Everyday Work
The fast-movers aren’t just automating tasks; they’re rethinking whole processes. AI is being woven into document creation, customer service, compliance, and decision-making. These organisations treat AI as a “team member”, redesigning workflows so humans and AI can collaborate, unlocking productivity gains that competitors can’t easily copy.
Yet, for most businesses the journey to embed AI remains unfinished. It takes more than workshops or toolkits. It takes leadership to inspire confidence, upskilling to build capability, and governance that enables innovation while maintaining trust and integrity.
The Culture Gap and the Trust Challenge
People and culture are the true battlegrounds. While 69% of NZ consumers use AI, only 34% feel they can trust it. In retail, just a third of workers use AI compared to over 90% in Singapore.
This isn’t apathy, it’s a call for clarity and evidence of everyday value. Kiwis are quick adopters when AI is transparent and directly helpful, like in customer support. But where AI feels opaque or uncertain, such as product recommendations, adoption lags.
Moving From Experiments to Everyday
The lesson is clear: business-wide ROI only emerges when AI moves beyond scattered use. Leaders need to invest in practical skills training, champion AI ambassadors within teams, and create workflows where using AI is as normal as checking email. Bring everyone along on the journey, not just the tech enthusiasts.
The future of work in New Zealand is being rewritten right now. And the businesses that thrive will be those with the vision, culture, and courage to make AI part of everyone’s job, every day.
