In a move to ensure the responsible adoption of artificial intelligence across government services, New Zealand’s Government Chief Digital Officer (GCDO) has appointed an AI Expert Advisory Panel to help shape national AI standards and guide ethical implementation across public service agencies.
The panel brings together leading experts from academia, government, and industry to advise on system leadership, standard setting, and the responsible uptake of AI. The GCDO will set the strategic direction, with panel members providing technical analyses or peer reviews when needed. Though advisory in nature, the panel’s work will support decisions aligned with government priorities, not individual opinions.
The panel will be chaired by Professor Michael Witbrock, a prominent AI researcher and professor of computer science at the University of Auckland. Witbrock directs the Strong AI Lab and the Natural, Artificial, and Organisational Intelligence Institute and has held previous leadership roles at IBM’s Thomas J. Watson Research Centre and Precision Driven Health.
Other appointees include privacy expert Frith Tweedie, Kiwibank’s Paul Littlefair, Māori AI researcher Dr Te Taka Keegan, Inland Revenue’s David Shanks, New Zealand Story CEO David Downs, and Victoria University’s Andrew Jackson, who will serve as an observer.
Members are appointed for terms of up to two years.
The initiative reflects growing global momentum to establish ethical, trustworthy AI governance. With its new panel, New Zealand joins a cohort of countries seeking to balance innovation with public accountability as AI becomes increasingly embedded in government operations.
The GCDO’s announcement signals a coordinated effort to promote transparency, inclusion, and public trust as the country’s public service begins to scale AI tools across departments.
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