Abstract
For New Zealanders, artificial intelligence (AI) is fast becoming as much a part of everyday life as smartphones and social media did before it.
According to the recently released 2026 InternetNZ Internet Insights report, nearly eight in ten Kiwis have used AI tools in the past year. More than half are now using them at least weekly.
But as use is rising, so too is unease about this transformative technology’s impact on society. In a recent survey, half of respondents were extremely or very concerned about AI’s implications for misinformation, privacy and potential misuse.