AI needs to be an election issue

Good Ancestors New Zealand is calling on every major political party to publish a detailed AI policy before New Zealanders go to the polls this November.

Good Ancestors Executive Director Dan Foote says New Zealanders have a right to know what each party is planning to do to address the very real risks of AI, from increasingly sophisticated fraud and scams to deepfakes, cyberattacks and threats to democracy.

“We are seeing this harm now and we are very concerned that there is not enough being done domestically to protect New Zealanders’ interests.”

Dan Foote says to date Labour is the only party to release a detailed plan, AI in New Zealand’s Interests, outlining how it would respond to opportunities and risks associated with AI.

Labour’s proposals include an Office of AI within the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, a senior minister responsible for AI, an online safety regulator, a review of gaps in New Zealand law, and an expanded AI Expert Advisory Panel to identify emerging risks.

“This policy is a welcome contribution to an important debate, and we are interested to see what other political parties will bring to the table. AI will have a profound effect on New Zealand’s economy and society over the next term of Parliament, and voters deserve to know what every major party would do about it.”

He says Good Ancestors’ six policy papers set out practical, low-cost steps the next government could take to manage the risks from AI, with the first priority being a commitment to an AI Safety Institute.

“New Zealand needs to join other countries and establish its own AI Safety Institute. A small, expert institute would give the government its own capability to monitor risks and advise Ministers and would connect New Zealand to the growing international network of AI safety Institutes.”

Other recommendations for the incoming government include:

Prepare a national AI Safety Strategy as a companion to the existing AI Strategy.
Review existing legislation for gaps.
Lift the AI safety and security capability of agencies such as the National Cyber Security Centre and the Electoral Commission.
Require leading AI companies to report incidents and risks to the New Zealand government, as they already do in California and the European Union.
Assess how New Zealand can retain access to leading AI models.

“New Zealand is not building frontier AI but is exposed to its risks. It’s time for the government to take action to protect New Zealanders.”

ENDS