AI Governance Leadership Training for New Zealand
New Zealand has no AI-specific legislation. That does not mean leaders have no obligations. The Companies Act 1993, Privacy Act 2020, and Treaty of Waitangi create a web of duties that already apply to every AI system your organisation operates. Our training programmes give directors and executives the knowledge to navigate them.
The 75% Awareness Gap Is a Governance Risk
New Zealand was the last OECD country to publish a national AI strategy in July 2025. The regulatory landscape is evolving fast, but most leaders are still interpreting AI obligations through outdated assumptions.
No AI Act Does Not Mean No Rules
Without dedicated AI legislation, leaders must interpret existing law. The Companies Act 1993 imposes personal liability on directors under sections 131-138. Privacy Act 2020 applies its 13 Information Privacy Principles to every automated decision. The Health Information Privacy Code governs AI in healthcare. These obligations are real and enforceable today.
Treaty Obligations Apply to AI
Te Tiriti o Waitangi creates specific obligations for how AI systems collect, process, and use data relating to Maori. Leaders in both government and the private sector need to understand Maori data sovereignty, the concept of data as a taonga, and how Treaty principles shape responsible AI deployment in Aotearoa.
Regulators Are Already Watching
The FMA expects financial services firms to govern AI-driven advice and lending decisions. The RBNZ is scrutinising AI in credit risk models. The Privacy Commissioner has signalled enforcement on automated decision-making without transparency. Leaders who wait for a dedicated AI Act are already behind.
Leadership Training vs Staff Training: Governance Knowledge Matters
Your board does not need to build a machine learning model. They need to know which questions to ask, which risks to escalate, and where personal liability sits.
Staff AI Literacy
For general workforce
- • Safe use of generative AI tools at work
- • Protecting personal and organisational data
- • Recognising AI-generated content and hallucinations
- • Productivity gains and workflow integration
- • Following your organisation's AI acceptable use policy
Leadership Governance Training
For directors and executives
- Companies Act 1993 director duties applied to AI
- Privacy Act 2020: 13 Principles for automated decisions
- Treaty of Waitangi obligations and Maori data governance
- FMA and RBNZ regulatory expectations for AI
- Public Service AI Framework implementation
Leadership Training Modules Built for New Zealand
Five targeted modules addressing the specific governance challenges NZ leaders face. Delivered on-site or virtually. Each module stands alone or combines into a full programme.
AI Governance Fundamentals
The foundation module for any leader who needs to understand what AI governance means in a country without dedicated AI legislation. Covers how existing NZ law applies, where the gaps are, and what responsible governance looks like in practice.
Covers:
- What AI governance means and why it matters now
- The NZ regulatory patchwork: mapping existing laws to AI risk
- AI risk categories: operational, reputational, legal, ethical
- NZ's national AI strategy and what it signals for governance
- Building a governance framework when there is no prescriptive law
Duration
4 hours
Format
On-site or virtual
Audience
All leaders
Executive and Board Governance
Designed for directors and C-suite who carry personal liability under the Companies Act 1993. Covers sections 131-138 director duties as they apply to AI decisions, NZX Corporate Governance Code reporting, and the questions boards must ask management.
Covers:
- Companies Act 1993 ss 131-138: duty of care, good faith, reckless trading applied to AI
- Personal liability scenarios: when AI failures become director failures
- Board committee structures for AI oversight and risk escalation
- NZX Corporate Governance Code: reporting on technology governance
- The 20 questions every board should ask management about AI
- Documenting AI governance for annual reporting and IoD expectations
Duration
8 hours
Format
On-site or virtual
Audience
Directors, C-suite
Public Service AI Framework Implementation
For government chief executives, deputy secretaries, and senior public servants responsible for implementing the Public Service AI Framework. Translates framework principles into operational governance, procurement decisions, and citizen-facing AI deployment.
Covers:
- Public Service AI Framework: principles, requirements, and accountability
- Treaty obligations in government AI: partnership, protection, participation
- AI procurement governance: assessing vendor risk for government systems
- Transparency and public trust in automated government decisions
- Equity impact assessments for AI affecting diverse communities
- Lessons from NZ government AI deployments: what went right and wrong
Duration
8 hours
Format
On-site or virtual
Audience
Public sector leaders
Privacy Act 2020 for AI Practitioners
A deep dive into how the Privacy Act 2020 and its 13 Information Privacy Principles apply to AI systems. Covers collection limitations, purpose constraints, cross-border transfers, and the Privacy Commissioner's expectations for automated decision-making transparency.
Covers:
- All 13 Information Privacy Principles mapped to AI use cases
- IPP 1-4: lawful collection and purpose limitation for training data
- IPP 6: access rights when AI makes decisions about individuals
- Cross-border data transfer rules for cloud-hosted AI models
- Health Information Privacy Code: additional obligations for healthcare AI
- Privacy impact assessments for AI: when and how to conduct them
Duration
4 hours
Format
On-site or virtual
Audience
All sectors
Maori Data Governance and Te Tiriti in AI
Unique to New Zealand. This module addresses the intersection of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, Maori data sovereignty, and AI governance. Designed for leaders in any sector who need to understand how Treaty principles shape responsible AI deployment and data practices in Aotearoa.
Covers:
- Te Tiriti principles applied to AI: partnership, protection, participation
- Maori data sovereignty: data as a taonga and collective rights
- Engaging with iwi and hapu on AI systems that affect Maori
- Bias and fairness: preventing disproportionate harm to Maori communities
- Governance models that honour kaitiakitanga in data and AI
- Practical frameworks for incorporating Treaty considerations into AI policy
Duration
4 hours
Format
On-site or virtual
Audience
All sectors
Built for the NZ Regulatory Environment
Interprets Existing Law, Not Hypothetical Law
Most AI governance training assumes a dedicated AI Act exists. Ours does not. We teach leaders how to apply the Companies Act 1993, Privacy Act 2020, HIPC, and sector-specific regulations to AI decisions they are making right now.
Sector-Specific, Not Generic
Financial services leaders get FMA and RBNZ-focused content. Healthcare leaders work with HIPC scenarios. Government leaders train on Public Service AI Framework implementation. Every module is tailored to the regulatory obligations your sector actually faces.
Leaves You with Governance Tools
Participants receive board question frameworks, AI governance policy templates, risk assessment checklists, and documentation suitable for NZX annual reporting or IoD governance reviews. Not theory -- tools you use the following week.
Who This Is For
Government Leaders
- Public service chief executives
- Deputy secretaries and tier-two leaders
- Crown entity board members
- Local government executives
- Government chief digital officers
Financial Services Leaders
- Bank and insurer board directors
- FMA-licensed financial advice providers
- Chief risk officers and compliance leads
- KiwiSaver and fund manager executives
- RBNZ-regulated entity senior management
Healthcare and Other Sectors
- DHB and Health NZ board members
- NZX-listed company directors
- University and polytechnic leadership
- Infrastructure and energy sector executives
- IoD members seeking AI governance competence
Common Questions
If NZ has no AI-specific law, why do we need AI governance training?
Because existing laws already apply. The Companies Act 1993 holds directors personally liable for failures of care and diligence -- including failure to oversee emerging technology risks. The Privacy Act 2020 governs automated decisions about individuals. The FMA expects financial services firms to govern AI. The absence of a dedicated AI Act does not reduce your obligations; it makes them harder to interpret without structured training.
How does the Treaty of Waitangi affect our AI governance?
Te Tiriti creates obligations around how data relating to Maori is collected, stored, and used in AI systems. The principles of partnership, protection, and participation apply to AI decisions that affect Maori communities. For government agencies, the Public Service AI Framework explicitly requires Treaty consideration. For private sector organisations, failing to address these obligations creates legal, reputational, and ethical risk.
We are a financial services firm. What specific training is relevant?
Module 2 (Executive and Board Governance) covers director liability directly relevant to financial services. We also tailor content around FMA conduct expectations for AI-driven financial advice, RBNZ expectations for AI in credit risk modelling, and the anti-money laundering implications of AI-based customer screening. Financial services leaders typically combine Module 1, Module 2, and Module 4 for comprehensive coverage.
Can modules be combined into a custom programme?
Yes. Most organisations combine two or three modules into a one- or two-day programme tailored to their sector and governance maturity. Government agencies often combine Modules 1, 3, and 5. Financial services firms typically combine Modules 1, 2, and 4. We also deliver individual modules as standalone sessions for board strategy days or committee meetings.
What documentation do participants receive?
Every participant receives a completion certificate, a summary of key governance obligations covered, and practical toolkits including board question frameworks, risk assessment templates, and policy drafting guides. These materials are designed to support NZX Corporate Governance Code reporting, IoD governance reviews, and internal board documentation.
Enrol Your Leaders in AI Governance Leadership Training
The gap between public expectation and leadership knowledge is a governance risk. Your directors already carry personal liability under the Companies Act. The Privacy Commissioner is already enforcing. The Public Service AI Framework is already in effect. Training is how you close the gap before it becomes a compliance failure.