Menu
Celebrating AI leadership, originality and prcatical outcomes across Aotearoa
18 November 2026 | AUT City Campus, Auckland
- 00Days
- 00Hours
- 00Minutes
- 00Seconds
Stay in the loop with the latest Aotearoa AI Awards updates by subscribing to our mailing list here.
AI Forum New Zealand – Te Kāhui Atamai Iahiko o Aotearoa is proud to announce the 2026 Aotearoa AI Awards
Hosted in partnership with AUT, the Aotearoa AI Awards recognise individuals, teams and organisations working in the field of artificial intelligence in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Our Awards acknowledge leadership, originality, and practical outcomes in the research, development, and application of AI — celebrating work that makes a measurable difference in the real world and brings responsible AI to the forefront.
Check out the finalists below
Thank you to our principal sponsor
2026 Award Categories
Te Ao Māori & Pasifika AI
Recognising AI innovation led by Māori and Pasifika individuals, teams and organisations.
The Te Ao Māori & Pasifika AI Award celebrates excellence in AI by honouring visionary individuals, teams and organisations that identify as Māori or Pasifika. It recognises AI solutions, technologies, research or deployments that advance the use and benefits of AI in Aotearoa New Zealand and/or internationally.
This award highlights innovation with real-world, measurable impact and a clear commitment to responsible and inclusive AI, supporting the AI Forum’s vision of leading AI for a thriving Aotearoa.
2026 Finalists
→ DigiKōr & DigiKōr+, Campfire Studios
→ Kawainga, Toro Technology
→ Tikanga-Led Framework for Conversational AI, Co-authored by Lee Palamo (Ngāti Awa, Tūhoe) and Lian Tovine-Passmore (Moana Tiriti)
→ Tuhi AI, Awa Digital
Brought to you in partnership with
Trailblazer in AI Innovation
Recognising the creation of novel, market-ready AI technology.
The Trailblazer in AI Innovation Award recognises excellence in AI by honouring visionary teams and individuals who have developed novel, market-ready AI solutions, technologies or deployments. These innovations significantly advance the use and benefits of AI, in Aotearoa New Zealand and/or internationally.
This award celebrates innovations that make a measurable difference in the real world, bringing responsible AI to the forefront. Recipients exemplify ingenuity, rigour, and the pursuit of knowledge; helping shape the future of AI for a thriving Aotearoa and the world.
2026 Finalists
→ Agency Web Ecosystem, Blutui
→ QONTINUITY, Qubit Cyber
→ Structural Engineering Reimagined, Nodey
→ Village: Rehearsed, Decided, Sealed, My Digital Sovereignty Limited
Brought to you in partnership with
Best Implementation of AI in Aotearoa
Recognising the successful deployment of AI with measurable impact in Aotearoa New Zealand.
The Best Implementation of AI in Aotearoa Award honours excellence in AI by recognising teams and individuals who have successfully deployed AI solutions and can demonstrate measurable, positive results in Aotearoa New Zealand.
This category celebrates real-world implementations that deliver proven value, (for example, improved outcomes, productivity, accessibility, safety or sustainability), while bringing responsible AI to the forefront. Celebrating these achievements supports the AI Forum’s vision of leading AI for a thriving Aotearoa that is innovative, responsible and inclusive.
2026 Finalists
→ Reinventing Engineering in Land Development, Tripp Andrews Surveyors
→ Scribo: Accelerated Online Writing Tool Implementation, EDconnect and Scribo
→ Structural Engineering Reimagined, Nodey
→ Tuhi AI, Awa Digital
Brought to you in partnership with
AI Research Pioneer
Recognising academic research excellence
The AI Research Pioneer Award celebrates visionary scholars whose original ideas have shaped the landscape of artificial intelligence. Honourees may have unveiled seminal theories, expanded the discipline’s intellectual horizons, or forged innovative methods and systems that continue to inspire new generations of researchers and practitioners. Whether advancing the mathematical foundations of AI or enabling breakthroughs that ripple through industry and society, recipients embody the curiosity, rigour and ingenuity that drive the field forward.
This category recognises individuals whose original research has opened new frontiers in AI or fundamentally reshaped an existing discipline within AI. It celebrates pioneering ideas, theories, methods, or systems (regardless of when they were first published) and places equal value on foundational breakthroughs and sustained scholarly leadership. It recognises distinctive contributions when evaluated over at least 15 years. To be eligible for this award, individuals must be nominated and self-nominations are not permitted.
2026 Finalists
→ Professor Nikola Kasabov, Auckland University of Technology
→ Professor Mengjie Zhang, Victoria University of Wellington
→ Associate Professor Marcus Frean, Victoria University of Wellington
→ Professor Michael Witbrock, University of Auckland
Brought to you in partnership with
Rising AI Star
Recognising emerging AI leaders in Aotearoa with high potential.
The Rising AI Star Award celebrates emerging individuals (and/or early-stage teams) who show exceptional promise, impact, and dedication to growing the AI sector in Aotearoa New Zealand. It recognises new thinking and approaches (for example, prototypes, early deployments, or novel applications of AI) that signal strong potential to create meaningful real-world outcomes.
Recipients demonstrate technical ingenuity alongside a clear commitment to ethical and responsible AI. This category also recognises those who actively contribute to a stronger AI ecosystem by promoting inclusiveness, building connections and advancing AI literacy across Aotearoa.
2026 Finalists
→ Gestalt
→ Blake Harkness
→ Jonathan Swain
→ Amelia Bentley
AI Changemaker of the Year
Recognising an individual making a significant contribution to the AI industry.
The AI Changemaker of the Year Award honours a visionary individual whose leadership has made a significant impact on the AI ecosystem. This may include advancing the responsible development or adoption of AI through innovation, advocacy, ethical practice, mentorship or sector leadership in Aotearoa New Zealand and/or internationally.
The award celebrates contributions that deliver measurable, real-world benefits and help make the AI Forum’s vision of leading AI for a thriving Aotearoa a reality. Recipients exemplify ingenuity, rigour, and a commitment to growing capability and trust in AI, shaping the future of AI for Aotearoa and the world.
2026 Finalists
→ AI Conductor B – Browser Runtime, FRELAN Studio
→ Heliview HireWise, Heliview AI & HR Consulting
→ Mark Laurence
→ Joshua Vial
Brought to you in partnership with
Aotearoa AI People’s Choice
Chosen by popular vote at our Aotearoa AI Summit.
Voting for the Aotearoa AI People’s Choice Award is officially open. As the Supreme Award of the year, this honor is decided by public audience vote from among the finalists of each award category during the Aotearoa AI Summit.
To cast your ballot, visit the official voting site to watch short introduction videos for each finalist and select your favorite. You are allowed to vote for one finalist across any of the categories, and voting closes at 11:59 PM on Wednesday, 4 November 2026.
Key dates
Entries close: 23 July 2026 (11:59pm NZT)
Finalists announced: 8–9 September 2026 during the Aotearoa AI Summit at Tākina Wellington Convention and Exhibition Centre, Wellington
Finalist interviews: 13–14 October 2026 (45-minute online interview with judging panel)
Winners announced: 18 November 2026 at the Aotearoa AI Awards Ceremony at AUT City Campus, Auckland
Thank you to our principal sponsor
