New Zealand-first collaboration grants airline staff access to Companion AI
Air New Zealand has announced that it is teaming up with the developers of ChatGPT to expand the use of artificial intelligence across the airline.
In a statement, Air New Zealand said its collaboration with OpenAI will give its 3,500 corporate employees access to Companion AI, the airline's deployment of ChatGPT Enterprise.
The organisation said it is exploring how data-driven insights can help employees make smarter and more informed operational decisions.
"We see AI as an opportunity for our team at Air New Zealand and a way to improve experiences for our customers. It helps us solve problems faster, serve our customers better, and reimagine how work gets done," said Air New Zealand Chief Digital Officer Nikhil Ravishankar in a media release.
"By working directly with OpenAI, we not only access leading-edge technology but we also shape how it's used in the real world."
Ravishankar told the Morning Report that Air New Zealand already has around 1,500 custom GPTs, which are AI assistants tailored for a specific purpose.
"Think of them as sort of rudimentary agents and what OpenAI partnership allows us to do is work with their engineering teams, and product teams to develop these solutions to solve airline problems, not just for Air New Zealand," Ravishankar said as quoted by Radio New Zealand.
"We're hoping that the solutions are also applicable around the world."
First-of-its-kind partnership
Oliver Jay, Managing Director of International at OpenAI, said they are impressed at how quickly Air New Zealand has built over 1,500 Custom GPTs for its internal workflows.
"Their focus on innovation and responsibility shows how the aviation sector can adopt advanced tools in practical ways that deliver value for both employees and customers," Jay said in a statement.
Air New Zealand's partnership with OpenAI is the first of its kind across the country.
It is also one of the few OpenAI customers in the Asia-Pacific region that was chosen to collaborate with the AI company, granting the airline early access to its tools.
"This collaboration represents more than just access to new tools – it's a commitment to staying at the forefront of innovation and giving our people the best technology to thrive. We're excited to see how AI will transform the way we work," Ravishankar said.
It comes after the New Zealand government released a national strategy in a bid to encourage more private sector employers to invest in the technology with more confidence.
