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It’s remarkable to think that today everyone has access to know-it-all digital assistants for free. With just a simple prompt, we can generate text, images, video, and audio that rival traditional production methods. The AI era is here, and it’s transforming the way we work.
I see it happening everywhere. AI adoption is skyrocketing, and businesses that embrace it are reaping the rewards. Reports from 2024 indicate that at least 50 per cent of Kiwi companies are already using it, and whether employers enable AI or not, people are using it at work every day.
That’s both an opportunity and a risk as the use of Shadow AI tools can create security issues. These are apps that aren’t deployed within the safety of the business IT environment, but brought to work on employees devices, lurking in browsers. Employees, often with the best intentions, may use these AI-powered apps to draft emails, write code, or process sensitive data. But in doing so, they may accidentally expose company or customer information to AI models that aren’t securely managed.
Simply blocking AI tools won’t work. Business leaders need to lean in, providing practical education, skills-based training, and enterprise-level solutions to create a safe AI environment. Companies need to move quickly to integrate AI effectively, ensuring employees use it responsibly while maximising its benefits.
So, where do businesses start? I work with companies to find quick wins that build confidence and demonstrate return on investment. Most companies will start by building an AI Agent to make information in employee policies and process documents easier to find, or provide answers to customers questions faster. Then they want to use AI for competitor intelligence, strategic planning, writing reports, resource consent and workplace safety – the uses are endless.
Once employees realise how AI can supercharge their potential they start asking “Can we use AI for this task or to automate this process?”
We see adoption evolve from general purpose use to intelligent AI powered optimisation.
There’s a real sense of urgency in these discussions. I use AI and I’m researching it every day. In 2025 AI is going mainstream. If you and your business isn’t leveraging Artificial Intelligence you’re falling behind and catching up will get increasingly harder. If you haven’t started, the time is now.
Justin Flitter founded NewZealand. AI in 2017 to help businesses discover why, where and how to leverage Artificial Intelligence. Today their AI Academy provides workshops and practical skills training to accelerate AI adoption at work.
