The other day I started chatting to someone about AI. A natural-enough thing to do these days, right? The difference here was that said individual was of the tin-foil-hat wearing brigade and, given that fact, had a perspective that AI is a tool developed personally by Bill Gates to accelerate the impact of chemtrails in his quest to take over our brains and, by extension, the world. Seems a logical enough conclusion, I guess.
But conspiracies aside, there’s something telling about how conversations around AI so easily tip into extremes – either it’s the messianic bringer of utopia or the harbinger of digital doom. And maybe it’s time we moved on from those binary projections. AI is here, it’s evolving, and, like any tool, its impact is shaped not just by its power, but by the intent and integrity of those who wield it.
A recent report from the good folks at One NZ offers a more grounded, useful perspective to frame this middle ground. Titled The AI Trust Report, it gives us insight into how New Zealanders are actually engaging with AI, not in the abstract, but in their everyday lives. Even more importantly, it looks to what’s holding that engagement back.
According to the report, 77% of New Zealanders have knowingly used AI-powered services in the past year. That’s a striking statistic, especially considering the relatively low-key integration of AI into services like banking apps, streaming platforms, or customer support systems. What’s even more striking, though, is that nearly half of respondents still don’t trust large companies to use AI ethically.
And that trust gap is no small matter. 62% say they would stop using a company if they had concerns about its AI use. That means trust isn’t just a moral imperative; it’s a strategic business asset. People aren’t just worried about abstract ethical dilemmas; they have specific, practical concerns: misuse of personal data, job losses, and unfair decision-making.
What this research underscores is something that gets lost in the hype – AI’s future isn’t going to be decided by the next big model release or some sci-fi scenario. It’s going to be shaped by how transparently, responsibly, and humanely we build and deploy the tools we already have.
Jason Paris, CEO of One NZ had something to say about this. Paris is decidedly not of the tinfoil-hat-wearing brigade, but he is someone with a pretty good internal compass. In addition, and as an aside, I’ve observed his moral compass and can report that he’s bringing up his progeny to be well-rounded, socially-aware (and I’m sure AI realistic) individuals. As he says: “The opportunity for New Zealand to boost productivity with AI is massive, but it’ll only work if Kiwis trust the right steps are being taken when it comes to using these tools ethically.” That includes everything from strong data privacy protections to ensuring people know when AI is in use, and can get support from a human when needed.
This is where the rubber meets the road. Businesses that lead on transparency, ethics, and human-centric design won’t just dodge controversy, they’ll be the ones people choose to engage with, work for, and champion. Sunlight is, as is so often the case, the best disinfectant.
But trust isn’t built overnight. It requires consistent effort, clear communication, and a willingness to listen and adapt. Companies need to be proactive in addressing concerns, providing education, and demonstrating the tangible benefits of AI in ways that resonate with everyday experiences.
Moreover, fostering a culture of trust extends beyond individual organisations. It involves collaboration between industry, government (both the “Big G” Government which those tinfoil folks would call the deep state but also the “Small G” government, the agencies and individuals we interact with daily), and communities to establish standards, regulations, and best practices that ensure AI is developed and used in ways that align with societal values and expectations.
In this context, the role of education and public engagement becomes paramount. Demystifying AI, making its workings transparent, and involving diverse voices in its development can help bridge the gap between technological advancement and public trust.
Returning to that initial conversation with my conspiracy theorist mate, it’s clear that while their views were extreme, they stem from a place of uncertainty and fear, a fear that’s not entirely unfounded given the rapid pace of technological change. Addressing these fears with empathy, information, and inclusive dialogue is essential in building a future where AI serves the common good.
Moving beyond utopian dreams and dystopian nightmares requires a balanced, thoughtful approach to AI, one that prioritizes trust, transparency, and human-centric values. By doing so, we can harness the potential of AI to enhance our lives while ensuring it remains a tool that reflects and respects our collective aspirations.
As part of my role with NeSI (soon to be REANNZ) I get to teach and break down some of these barriers to understanding what exactly is AI/ML and we do so from the very beginning and not just where people likely think of it with Neural Network etc. I am very conscious of my role and the need to help demystify how they are put together, along with a lot of the ethics behind them. Where is the data, what happens to my data and how much damned power do they use (LOTS).
These are open source and free to use, myself and a colleague adapted them from other resources and can probably be run on a local PC.
https://github.com/nesi/ml101_workshop <- Pythons SciKitLearn, teaching about supervised and unsupervised learning and getting and idea about what Machine Learning is.
https://github.com/nesi/ml102_workshop/tree/main <- having a play with Neural Networks, explaining how that work and using them to classify images.
As yet we haven't got round to developing a workshop for Large Language Models, one day, but they are all based on Frank Rosenblatts 1958 paper "The perceptron: a probabilistic model for information storage and organization in the brain". So not Bill Gates.
Matt
Hello Ben.
With regard to AI my primary run in with it has been with the AI Editor on the Quora site. Where it keeps accusing me of duplicating my postings or of venting unwarranted hatred. When I check my postings; I DO NEITHER. Yet the AI Editor keeps deleting them. I write in to Quora’s customer service & talk to an ACTUAL HUMAN; only to have 95% of my postings restored. When I ask for explanations as to just why my postings were deleted? All I get in return is a standard email informing me repeating the same comments over & over will not be accepted nor will bad language. OK it is good to have my postings restored when I talk to an actual human; yet the process is far too long winded. I have largely given up reading Quora let alone posting comments to their site. Which is a bit of a pity as it is one of the few sites that offers OPEN DEBATE.
My experience with AI is largely limited to this site & I have found AI to be UNBELIEVABLY STUPID.