One New Zealand has today announced the rollout of Ka Tika: Using AI Responsibly, a new company-wide training programme designed to give all ~2,500 One NZ team members the skills to use artificial intelligence safely, fairly, and responsibly in their everyday work.

The training marks the next milestone in One NZ’s ambition to become the world’s most AI-enabled telco. “AI is already transforming the way we work, and we want every Oneder to feel confident using it, in a way that puts people and trust first,” said Jodie King, Chief People Officer at One New Zealand.

“We’ve built solid data and ethics foundations, and we’re focused on bringing our team members along for the journey. Our Responsible AI training aims to equip everyone at One NZ with the understanding of how to use AI confidently and safely. It also recognises that responsible AI isn’t just for specialists, it’s a skill everyone needs in an AI-enabled business.”

Delivered through One NZ’s Pā Tangata (ERP) learning platform, the Ka Tika elearning module takes less than 30 minutes to complete and covers key principles for responsible AI use, including fairness, privacy, transparency, and security. The module includes simple explanations of what AI is, how One NZ uses AI in everyday work, the benefits and risks that come with AI, principles to follow to keep AI safe and trustworthy, plus scenarios and questions to test people's understanding.

It also helps employees identify risks such as bias, misinformation, or over-reliance on AI, while showing practical ways to use the technology to drive creativity, improve customer experiences, and save time.

One NZ’s Responsible AI Policy was introduced in late 2024, which follows international best practices, including the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) AI Risk Management Framework. One NZ also has a RAI (Responsible AI) Community of Practice to foster ethical innovation.

Responsible AI training is the next step in One NZ’s people-focused AI journey

This launch follows earlier initiatives including the company-wide introduction of Microsoft Copilot, the AI Elevate learning series, and the launch of AI School, which gives employees hands-on experience with emerging AI tools.

Now, every One NZ employee is being encouraged to set a personal AI goal for the second half of the financial year — whether it’s learning a new AI skill, experimenting with a new tool, or finding smarter ways to work. The company’s newly launched career development platform, Skills Edge, supports staff to explore these goals and track their progress.

“This is about helping our people grow with AI, wherever they’re starting from,” said King. “For some, that means getting upskilled in tools like Microsoft Copilot, Enterprise Chat GPT and Writer. For others, it’s about embedding AI into how they lead teams or serve customers. What matters now is that we’re all learning, experimenting, and taking steps forward together – while doing it in a responsible way.”

Trust remains at the centre

The rollout of Ka Tika: Using AI Responsibly follows the release of the One NZ AI Trust Report, which found that while 77% of New Zealanders have used AI-powered services in the past year, nearly half don’t trust large companies to use AI ethically. The research also revealed that 62% of Kiwis would stop using a company if they had concerns about its AI use, underscoring the importance of transparency and responsible practice.

“Trust is the foundation of everything we do,” King added. “New Zealanders have told us clearly that they want companies to use AI ethically and with care. By giving our people the skills to use AI responsibly, we’re showing customers that we take that responsibility seriously, and that we’re committed to earning their trust, every day."

The teams are also preparing for One NZ’s upcoming AI Showcase on 12 November, where early adopters will share how they’re already applying AI to transform customer care, network operations, and digital experiences – with Responsible AI also on the agenda.

“Becoming the world’s most AI-enabled telco centres on empowering One NZ team members and upskilling them to be future-fit in an AI-powered world,” said King. “We know there will be changes to roles, and we want our people to understand how AI can take care of the heavy lifting. This means our people can focus on what humans do best, which includes building relationships, solving complex problems, and creating new ideas.

“We want One NZ to be a place where AI-curious people want to work to get upskilled for an AI-driven future. We don’t know exactly what the future of work looks like with AI, but do we know that work is changing, and so we want our people to be ready for those changes.”

Glossary:

• Ka Tika modules are purpose-built elearning courses tailored for One NZ staff.
• Pā Tangata is One NZ’s HR/ERP system.