Bruce Dias 
Millions of businesses in New Zealand and around the rest of the world have been actively integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into their operations.
However, even though enthusiasm for AI is growing, research indicates that the foundational knowledge necessary to unlock its immense potential remains underdeveloped.
The Unisys Report
An international study coordinated by technology solutions provider Unisys revealed that 78 percent of organisations plan to increase their investment in generative AI. This is because only 38% believe they are ready to support large-scale AI work.
The report revealed just how unprepared many businesses are for the scale of transformation AI requires. Around 85% of organisations are still reactive when it comes to cybersecurity, even though downtimes can cost them thousands of dollars.
Only 14% of executives are ready to employ post-quantum cryptography against cyber threats despite 73% acknowledging that failing to embed agentic AI leaves them at a disadvantage.
The New Zealand Picture
A separate study conducted by Datacom revealed that New Zealand businesses are among those aggressively embracing AI.
According to the 2025 State of AI Index, a survey of 200 senior leaders revealed that 87% of New Zealand organisations now utilise some form of AI, up from 66% in 2024 and 48% in 2023.
Large firms with more than 200 employees recorded AI usage of around 92%.
The benefits are already being felt. More than 80% of those who have employed AI believe it has had a positive impact. One in five reported increased productivity.
Adopting AI is an attractive proposition, but scaling remains remarkably difficult. Only 12% of New Zealand organisations utilise AI across every arm of the enterprise, and almost half are in the pilot stage.
Datacom Director of AI Lou Compagnone believes they will need to be adaptable. “You can’t have a static AI strategy,” Lou said.
“What we would like to see is more organisations having the ability to scale AI and being able to operationalise it in their organisation.”
Infrastructure – The Deciding Factor
The Unisys and Datacom reports highlight the same issues – outdated infrastructure, a skills shortage and the absence of governance frameworks.
One-third of companies in New Zealand admitted to lacking capability internally, and almost half say they need external training.
This problem is not unique to AI – the government is taking a keen interest in the digital sector, prioritising improved infrastructure.
For example, New Zealand’s government is working to regulate online gambling, creating an industry that relies on high-performing, secure and scalable IT systems.
Every NZ online casino real money platform needs modern cloud infrastructure, advanced cybersecurity and real-time data processing to thrive.
New Zealand must develop the technological infrastructure for AI and the broader digital economy to ensure it does not get left behind by other nations.
How New Zealand Stacks Up Globally
New Zealand’s AI adoption is genuinely mesmerising, but how does it compare to other international giants? The United States gives an interesting perspective.
According to McKinsey’s State of AI 2025 survey, around 72% of US organisations use AI in at least one business unit, slightly lower than New Zealand’s 87%.
However, it is worth noting that the US is far ahead in terms of scaling. Nearly 30% of US enterprises report that AI is being used across all sections of the business. Only 12% of New Zealand businesses can make the same claim.
Local New Zealand firms quickly experiment and adopt new tools, but do not embed them too deeply into operations.
Business size is a massive factor. US companies are generally larger and have larger budgets, a deeper pool of technical talent, and more access to advanced cloud infrastructure.
New Zealand has the enthusiasm, but execution must follow.
Risks & What the Future Holds
One brewing problem employees face is the rise of shadow AI being used without any oversight.
Through the survey, Datacom found that 52% of New Zealand’s leaders saw such activities in their organisations. Their intentions are not malicious, but using shadow AI comes with risks related to data security, compliance and consistency.
New Zealand is clearly building momentum despite noticeable gaps. Businesses are utilising more structured AI strategies. The nation is also adopting fast, but must devise means to scale just as quickly.
The government must build modern infrastructure, invest in skills development and establish effective governance frameworks to compete with its international peers.
The US is leading the race to scale AI, but New Zealand’s uptake numbers hold promise that it can close the gap. NZ will have to move quickly to ride this new technological wave.
