Mahi AI.

27/01/2026

Nau mai hoki mai ki a 2026

Sending off 2025 left us with a few kaiārahi to celebrate for their achievements in te ao Matihiko. We can't wait for you all to see what we have in store this year and to see the Mahi AI hapori (community) grow across Aotearoa.

09/12/2025

Chief Executive Atarau Hamilton and Kaiārahi Grace Ropitini spoke with RNZ recently around the kaupapa for Mahi AI and what it is we are working towards. As we begin to close out the year we are constantly reminded that AI is ever evolving - faster than we can keep our finger on the pulse.

So.... What does Mahi AI want to solve?

"We want to ensure that content people are producing is accurate, because people aren't trusting of content that is solely AI informed"

"Mahi AI is the human piece"

Mahi AI have Kaiārahi working across the whole motu covering most major regions who all have strong connections to their whenua, their whānau and their purakau. Mahi AI know that "the historical contexts of the different places we all love in NZ; Hawke's Bay vs Auckland vs Wellington, all the nuances change from place to place". Because of these nuances we are always adaptable to change and work to ensure we match you with the right kaiārahi for your mahi. "We love these companies, we want them to succeed, so how can we do that best?" Adapatability!

Atarau left us with this thought from his kōrero - "Done well, the value add we can create if businesses are honest about engaging with AI tools in their workplace is exponential" We don't say no to AI, we just ask for honesty and transparency and to ensure accuracy by engaging the right cultural advice.

Hawkes Bay startup MahiAI is offering companies guidance on te ao Maori content.

24/11/2025

Ata mārie!

This morning our Kaiwhakahaere Atarau Hamilton along with Kaiārahi Grace Ropitini had a kōrero with Kim Hill on the Nine - Noon show on RNZ.

As the use of AI grows exponentially day by day so does the ever growing call for the human lens, in Aotearoa that call grows even stronger for the Māori lens. Honoring Te Tiriti doesn't stop at the physicam world, it extends to Te Ao Matihiko.

If you are looking to partner with a kaupapa Māori service for your AI needs then send us a message today.

Hawkes Bay startup MahiAI is offering companies guidance on te ao Maori content.

13/11/2025

To build trust and protect cultural integrity, organisations must involve Māori reviewers in both design and deployment stages while also having them included in governance at decision making levels.

Mahi AI. are already supporting businesses to do exactly this.

06/11/2025

In Aotearoa, the use of AI without transparency or Māori oversight poses serious risks. A Foodstuffs facial recognition trial misidentified a Māori woman, causing trauma and highlighting flaws in biased data and poor human review. Despite legal compliance, the technology struggles to accurately identify darker skin tones.

The upcoming Biometric Processing Privacy Code barely addresses Māori concerns, mentioning cultural impacts only once. This reflects a broader issue: AI systems can misrepresent, exclude, or harm Indigenous communities if not designed with cultural safeguards.

To build trust and equity, AI must be transparent, accountable, and developed in partnership with tangata whenua.

23/10/2025

Last week two of our kaimahi - Fushia and Sinēad joined Kura Reo Hangarau hosted by Te Hapori Matihiko! Check out their kōrero to see what they thought.

What we put into AI is important, our kupu, our mātauranga and our culture are what makes us unique!

Te Hapori Matihiko are a community amplifying te ao Māori in Digital and Tech bringing together Māori across the globe working in or aspiring to work in Te Ao Matihiko (The Digital World). Providing advocacy, connection and cultural support Te Hapori Matihiko are helping change the digital world.

We can't wait for the next Kura Reo Hangarau and to learn more from Te Hapori Matihiko through our journey.

16/10/2025

Understand the cost before paying the price.

Deloitte’s recent refund to the Australian government over a $440,000 report riddled with AI-generated errors is more than a cautionary tale—it’s a wake-up call for AI users in business.

The report, intended to assess welfare compliance systems, included, hallucinated evidentiary references, and undisclosed use of generative AI.
While Deloitte claims the “substance” remained intact, the damage to trust and credibility is clear.

The risks of AI misuse is amplified in New Zealand. Government reports and policy frameworks increasingly intersect with Māori data, tikanga, and Te Tiriti o Waitangi obligations, When AI tools hallucinate facts or misrepresent legal precedent, they don’t just produce sloppy work—they risk silencing Indigenousa voices and distorting culturally grounded knowledge.

Imagine an AI-generated report on Māori health, education, or justice—built on flawed data, missing nuance, and lacking consultation. The consequences are systemic and deeply harmful.

This case raises urgent questions for our public sector:
• Are AI tools being used in ways that uphold Te Tiriti principles?
• Is there transparency when AI contributes to policy or research?
• Who is accountable when AI-generated content misrepresents Indigenous knowledge?

As Aotearoa embraces digital transformation, MahiAi. ensure AI is used ethically, transparently, and in partnership with tangata whenua. The Deloitte case shows what happens when shortcuts replace expertise—and why Indigenous voices are central to successful AI governance.

Let’s not wait for a refund to realise the cost of getting it wrong.

The Guardian | Krishani Dhanji

06/10/2025

AI has the ability to drown out integral voices across society.

Indigenous voices are more often at risk at being ignored and having their cultural context misrepresented.

Mahi AI supports you to weave appropriate cultural context into your content. Te ao Māori, tikanga and te reo Māori are important when working across communities in Aotearoa.

Stop the SLOP!

29/09/2025

Mahi AI puts mātauranga Māori at the centre of everything we do. Utilising generational mātauranga our rangatahi are well versed to support you to make the best of AI.

Grace Ropotini our kaiārahi for Te Matau-a-Māui (Hawke's Bay) trained as a kaiako/teacher and considers AI a growing opportunity for young Māori to step forward.

“A lot of our whānau are really unsure about AI,” she said.

“I’m a big believer in education, and I believe that if we want to safeguard and protect our cultural intellectual property as Māori, then we need to be really well versed in AI and be able to operate confidently in that space.

“I see [Mahi AI] as a rangatahi opportunity, but it’s a really big opportunity to help guide Māori into the AI space while also supporting businesses.”

'As Māori, we need to be really well versed in AI and be able to operate confidently.'

17/09/2025

At Mahi AI we are celebrating te wiki o te reo Māori in our unique ways.

Some of our tīma have had their say on why te wiki o te reo Māori is important to them.

We want to know your thoughts too. Drop us a comment below on what te wiki o te reo Māori means to you and your whānau!!

Haere mai e te whānau

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