Karrina Mountfort, an Auckland-based technology veteran with two decades of transformation experience, believes New Zealand is at a productivity crossroads and says if we do not act now to democratise AI literacy, we risk falling even further behind.
For decades, New Zealand has relied on a unique brand of “Number 8 wire” ingenuity to punch above its weight on the global stage. We are a nation of hard workers, yet we find ourselves grappling with a persistent productivity gap that threatens our long-term economic resilience. Historically, when faced with a challenge, our instinct has been to “chuck people” at the problem rather than technology. But as the era of artificial intelligence arrives with the force of a sea change, Mountfort says that traditional approach is reaching its natural limit.
Mountfort is the founder of The AI Assembly, a citizen-led movement designed to ensure that no New Zealander is left behind in this technological shift. Based in Auckland, the organisation serves as a social enterprise dedicated to increasing nationwide AI literacy.
The goal is straightforward yet ambitious: to take the mystery out of the machine and put the practical understanding of AI into the hands of every learner and leader, regardless of their background. The prevailing narrative in boardrooms across the country is one of productivity. Leaders are understandably eager to harness AI to do more with existing resources. Mountfort does not argue against that goal but does argue for a smarter path to achieving it. She says businesses cannot leapfrog straight to productivity gains if their workforce is acting out of fear or hesitation. “You cannot sustain productivity gains without trust, and you cannot build trust without education. They have to move together.”
This philosophy forms the bedrock of The AI Assembly. By creating a base layer of literacy covering the possibilities, the limitations, and the risks of AI, the movement aims to transform AI from a perceived threat into a collaborative tool that people feel genuinely equipped and confident to use.
This transformation is fundamentally human rather than technical. Mountfort has seen many technology rollouts succeed and fail over the last twenty years, and the common denominator is always the people. The most successful shifts are those that employ a top-down and bottom-up approach, where the people using the tools every day are just as informed and involved as the executives leading the charge. This is why The AI Assembly operates as a community rather than a traditional corporate consultancy. It is a space where individuals can participate on their own terms, choosing to engage because they want to thrive in their daily lives, not just because their employer told them to attend a workshop.
The scale of the movement is already significant. What began as a personal drive by Mountfort has blossomed into a collective effort supported by nearly 40 volunteers, ranging from young AI engineers and data scientists to senior industry leaders. The momentum is tangible. At their inaugural event in Parnell, 120 women signed up to engage with the technology in a trusted, community environment. While many attendees were sceptical or uncertain about AI, it proved for Mountfort that New Zealanders are hungry for knowledge, provided it is delivered with transparency and without hype.
Central to the organisation’s mission is the AI the Right Way® methodology. This framework is a home-grown response to a global phenomenon. While international perspectives dominate much of the conversation around AI adoption, Mountfort is adamant that New Zealand needs a New Zealand-first approach. Our country has a unique cultural landscape and specific economic requirements that cannot be fully addressed by one-size-fits-all solutions developed elsewhere. By building a localised certification process and a community-led skills hub, The AI Assembly is ensuring that New Zealand’s AI literacy is grounded in our own values, communities, and needs.
Looking ahead, the next twelve months are set to be a period of rapid activation. The organisation is launching the AI The Right Way® Foundation Certification, designed to provide an equitable, nationwide standard for responsible AI engagement. Alongside this, they continue to run diverse programmes including HerAIStory™ which creates space for women to build confidence and capability in AI — and Real-World AI™, which helps individuals and organisations work through real problems using a practical, structured framework.
Mountfort’s advice to those starting their own journey is to surround themselves with a community that understands both the possibilities and the challenges. The journey into AI space can feel isolating, but it does not have to be. By connecting with others who are navigating the same questions, New Zealanders can ensure that the shift into an AI-augmented future is a collective step forward rather than a fragmented struggle.
Mountfort says if New Zealand can build that base layer of understanding across industries, communities, and generations, the productivity gains we have chased for decades may finally be within reach. Not because AI will do the work for us, but because our people will know how to work with it.
