On what date, if at all, did the Minister first receive advice from the Government Chief Digital Officer, the Public Service Commissioner, the Privacy Commissioner, Treasury, or any other agency regarding the feasibility, cost, delivery risk, timeframes, and limitations of substituting AI tools for the roles being disestablished as part of savings made in Budget 2026 for votes the Minister is responsible for, if any, and what did that advice say, and will the Minister release it, broken down by agency, department, Crown entity, company, or other organisation for which the Minister is responsible? and 5 other questions

Asked by

Camilla Belich

List MP · Labour Party

• 21225

  On what date, if at all, did the Minister first receive advice from the Government Chief Digital Officer, the Public Service Commissioner, the Privacy Commissioner, Treasury, or any other agency regarding the feasibility, cost, delivery risk, timeframes, and limitations of substituting AI tools for the roles being disestablished as part of savings made in Budget 2026 for votes the Minister is responsible for, if any, and what did that advice say, and will the Minister release it, broken down by agency, department, Crown entity, company, or other organisation for which the Minister is responsible?

• 21227

  Which AI vendors, products, or platforms are expected to be procured, expanded, or relied upon as part of savings made in Budget 2026 for votes the Minister is responsible for, if any; what is the forecast contract value of each, in which countries will the underlying data be processed and stored, and what conditions, if any, have been placed on the offshore transfer or use of New Zealanders' personal information, if any, broken down by agency, department, Crown entity, company, or other organisation for which the Minister is responsible, if any?

• 21232

  What evidence base, including any business cases, pilot results, productivity studies, benchmark data, or independent advice, was relied upon in determining that AI could absorb the workload of the roles being disestablished as part of savings made in Budget 2026 for votes the Minister is responsible for and deliver the forecast savings, if any, broken down by agency, department, Crown entity, company, or other organisation for which the Minister is responsible, if any?

• 21244

  What is the total forecast spend on (a) AI software licences and subscriptions, (b) AI-related cloud and compute infrastructure, (c) AI implementation consultants and systems integrators, (d) AI-related staff training and change management, and (e) AI assurance, audit, and human-oversight activities in each of (i) 2025/26, (ii) 2026/27, (iii) 2027/28, and (iv) 2028/29 as a consequence of savings made in Budget 2026 for votes the Minister is responsible for, if any, and how does that forecast spend net against the forecast workforce savings, broken down by agency, department, Crown entity, company, or other organisation for which the Minister is responsible, if any?

• 21245

  How many, if any, of the roles being disestablished as part of savings made in Budget 2026 for votes the Minister is responsible for, if any, will have any of their functions or tasks performed, in whole or in part, by artificial intelligence (AI) tools or systems; what specific functions or tasks are expected to be performed by AI, and what is the forecast productivity gain assumed for each, broken down by agency, department, Crown entity, company, or other organisation for which the Minister is responsible, if any?

• 21246

  Has any (a) algorithmic impact assessment, (b) Privacy Impact Assessment, (c) Treaty of Waitangi impact assessment, or (d) Health and Safety at Work Act psychosocial risk assessment been completed in respect of the AI tools being deployed as part of savings made in Budget 2026 for votes the Minister is responsible for, if any; has each affected agency confirmed alignment with the Public Service AI Framework and the OECD AI Principles, and if so, will the Minister table or release each such assessment, broken down by agency, department, Crown entity, company, or other organisation for which the Minister is responsible?