Questions or feedback? Email: ai-explanations@proton.me

WHAT IS NEW ZEALAND DOING ABOUT AI TRAINING (AND HOW DOES IT COMPARE TO THE UK)?

NZ released its AI strategy in July 2025, but unlike the UK's plan to train 10 million people, it focuses on businesses and public servants, not the general public.

Introduction

New Zealand released its first national AI strategy in July 2025, making it the last OECD country to do so. If you're over 60 and wondering whether New Zealand is offering anything like the UK's free AI training programmes, the short answer is not a lot, unless you're a public servant or you run a business.

Unlike the UK's plan to train 10 million workers through free courses available to all adults right now, New Zealand's approach focuses on businesses and government, not mass public training. This is what you need to know about what exists and what doesn't.

What New Zealand has actually done

The national AI strategy, called "Investing with Confidence," aims to add NZ$76 billion to the economy by 2038 according to the strategy document, through a light-touch approach with no AI-specific laws, focusing on helping New Zealand adopt AI rather than develop it.

The strategy targets economic growth and business competitiveness, which is fine as far as it goes. But it doesn't include a mass training programme for the general public like you're seeing in the UK, Australia, or Canada.

New Zealand has had limited free AI training available to the general public. In September 2025, Lumify Work (in partnership with AWS) ran a three-week blitz offering free generative AI workshops to 10,000 New Zealanders, coinciding with the launch of the AWS New Zealand Region. The programme wrapped up in late 2025.

Callaghan Innovation, New Zealand's main innovation agency, developed an AI Activator programme with free e-learning modules for businesses. However, the organisation was announced for disestablishment in January 2025 and wound down through 2025-26, with functions transferred to MBIE and other agencies. The AI Activator and e-learning modules remain accessible but their long-term status is uncertain.

The ongoing AWS CloudUp AI Practitioner programme remains available but is paid (heavily discounted to NZ$49-99, down from around $670, and includes exam voucher). This is an 8-week flexible online course, but it's not free public training in the way the UK is offering.

The skills gap nobody's really addressing

Research from KPMG and the University of Melbourne (surveying 48,340 people across 47 countries) found that only 24% of New Zealand workers have received any AI training, compared to 39% globally. Just 36% of New Zealanders feel they have the skills to use AI appropriately, well below the 60% global average. The same study found that only 44% believe the benefits of AI outweigh the risks, putting New Zealand well below global optimism levels.

Meanwhile, the AI strategy document notes that 97% of New Zealand workers have heard of AI, but only 34% can clearly explain what it is. Budget 2025 allocated NZ$213 million for tuition and training subsidies, but this covers all skills training across all sectors, not AI specifically. It's not a dedicated fund to close the AI knowledge gap for regular people.

Compare this to the UK, where the government launched free AI training courses in January 2026, accessible to anyone today. New Zealand has no equivalent.

Why the different approach

New Zealand's strategy makes sense from a business and economic perspective. The country is small, and the focus is on helping businesses adopt AI tools to stay competitive rather than trying to develop AI technology from scratch or train the entire population.

The light-touch regulatory approach fits with New Zealand's general preference for letting markets work rather than heavy government intervention. The strategy emphasises adoption with confidence rather than mandating training or setting strict rules.

But this leaves a gap for individuals, particularly older adults who aren't running businesses or working in government. If you want to understand AI for your own benefit, to protect yourself from scams, or to feel less anxious about technology you're encountering everywhere, New Zealand's national strategy doesn't really help you.

What this means for New Zealanders over 60

If you're retired or not working in the public sector, New Zealand isn't offering much in the way of free, accessible AI training. You won't find a government-run programme like the UK's AI Skills Boost where you can take a 20-minute course and get a certificate.

What you can do is look for community programmes through organisations like Age Concern, libraries, or community education providers. These might offer basic digital literacy courses that touch on AI, but they're not standardised or guaranteed to be available where you live.

Some universities offer short courses or public lectures on AI topics, and these occasionally pop up. The quality varies, and they're not specifically designed for older adults or non-technical audiences.

Your best option for structured, reliable information is probably independent resources rather than waiting for government programmes that don't currently exist for the general public.

The honest assessment

New Zealand has an AI strategy, but it's aimed at businesses and government, not at closing the public knowledge gap. The focus is on economic growth and competitive advantage, which makes sense for a small country trying to stay relevant in a global market.

But it leaves regular people, particularly those over 60, largely on their own when it comes to understanding AI. The UK is actively training millions of workers right now. Australia is offering TAFE scholarships that include AI training. Canada has Microsoft partnerships targeting hundreds of thousands of people. New Zealand's approach is narrower.

This doesn't mean New Zealand is doing AI wrong, just that it's doing it differently with a clear business and government focus rather than mass public education. If you're in New Zealand and want AI training similar to what the UK is offering, you'll need to look beyond government programmes to community organisations, private courses, or resources like this site.

The gap exists, and as far as I can tell, there's no immediate plan to close it with a large-scale public training programme. That's the reality New Zealanders need to understand when comparing what's available here versus what other countries are offering their citizens.

Browse all topics → Index

Sources: