Promoting real-world use of AI is the single most important step to drive adoption of the technology, says industry leader
When the New Zealand Government released its national artificial intelligence strategy in July, it included information about reducing uncertainty, removing barriers, and responsible AI innovation.
But the sentence in the 22-page document that really stood out to Nick Catino, global head of policy at payroll and compliance platform Deel, was on page three.
“This strategy document was written with the assistance of AI,” Minister of Science, Innovation and Technology Dr Shane Reti wrote in the opening foreword. "This demonstrates our commitment to ’walk the talk’ on AI while maintaining appropriate safeguards for sensitive information."
For Catino, it delivered a powerful message about promoting real-world use of the technology, which he believes is the most effective way to drive greater adoption of AI.
“I thought it was a was a strong signal that the New Zealand AI strategy mentioned several times that they used AI to help research and write the report,” Catino he told HRD.
“I think it is important for governments, for the private sector, for schools, all their workers, or people in their ecosystem, their students, people in their communities, that they are promoting that real world adoption - that is the single most important thing that can happen.”
Catino said all employees needed to use AI and understand how it benefits their workplaces and businesses, comparing it to the adoption of the internet and computers in the 1990s.
“You can read all you want about it. There's no replacement for using it,” he said.
Winning the race for talent
Catino said there was demand for AI talent in every single country in the world.
“You won't find a place right now where there's not a discussion about skill sovereignty and the need to build up, upskill the domestic workforce and also bring in more foreign talent, high skilled, who ends up being high wage, workers to supplement your domestic workforce,” he said.
“There's also a big effort to boost the domestic AI industry, to make sure that there's even more of a need for AI talent,” he said.
Catino said the NZ strategy, like similar reports from around the world, focused on talent as one of the main themes.
“I think it demonstrates that … even if governments have been a bit behind in recognizing it, they are right now realizing AI talent is singularly important to succeeding in a digital economy in the future where AI is not just something that people are starting to play with themselves, start to use a little bit. It's going to be the dominant geopolitical and macroeconomic factor of the future,” he said.
“I think some of the projections you're seeing demonstrate that it is going to influence every aspect of this society going forward. So, it is not a nice to have to focus on AI talent and skills. It is. It is a must have one of one.”
Catino said global discussions about AI had shifted focus from responsible innovation, ethics, governance and guardrails and was now on “winning the AI race” and how countries could ensure their domestic industry and domestic talent succeeded.
“The US has compared AI to the space race. The AI race is the new space race, and you've seen practically every other country around the world follow suit, where now the focus is on the talent, the industry and the infrastructure, and so the regulations maybe have slowed at the rate they were coming out before,” he said.
“The New Zealand AI strategy is a good example, where talent, and building up that talent domestic and attracting foreign, high skilled talent, is top of mind.”
“The regulatory discussions around the world have changed dramatically over the last year, from one of responsible innovation to now it is about domestic AI innovation and talent.”
