The Government Chief Digital Officer (GCDO) has appointed an AI Expert Advisory Panel. This is a significant step towards ensuring the safe and responsible adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) within the public service.
Role of the AI Expert Advisory Panel
This panel includes experts from the private and public sectors and academia. It will provide important advice so government agencies can responsibly use AI to deliver services efficiently to the New Zealand public.
The AI Expert Advisory Panel will play a pivotal role in the coordination of:
- system leadership
- setting standards
- stewarding AI uptake across public service agencies.
The panel’s relationship with the GCDO
The GCDO is responsible for setting the direction of the panel. The panel or individual members may be commissioned to provide technical analysis on a specific topic or to peer review agency AI-related work.
AI Expert Advisory Panel members are appointed in an advisory capacity. This means the adoption of AI in the public service will reflect the government and GCDO’s views and positions, and not those of the individual panel members.
The members of the AI Expert Advisory Panel have been appointed by the GCDO for terms of up to 2 years.
Chair of the AI Expert Advisory Panel
The panel chair, Professor Michael Witbrock, is a professor of computer science at the University of Auckland. There he directs both the Strong AI Lab (SAIL) and the Natural, Artificial, and Organisational Intelligence Institute (NAOI).
Michael holds a PhD in Computer Science from Carnegie Mellon University (USA) and a BSc (Hons) in Physiological Psychology from the University of Otago.
Professor Witbrock’s career in industry and academia has included roles such as Science Director at Precision Driven Health (NZ) and leading the ‘Learning to Reason’ AI team at IBM’s Thomas J. Watson Research Centre (USA). He is an active member of the AI Forum NZ executive council and chairs the AI for Good Foundation.
Members of the AI Expert Advisory Panel
- Ms Frith Tweedie, Principal and Director of Simply Privacy
- Mr Paul Littlefair, Chief Digital and Technology Officer at Kiwibank
- Dr Te Taka Keegan, Co-Director Māori, Artificial Intelligence Institute, University of Waikato
- Mr David Shanks, Acting Deputy Commissioner, Enterprise and Integrity Services at Inland Revenue
- Mr David Downs, Chief Executive Officer of New Zealand Story
Mr Andrew Jackson of the Policy Hub, Victoria University of Wellington, has been appointed as an observer to the panel.
Published
30 June 2025
