Today, we're celebrating Waitangi Day in New Zealand with a special Google Doodle! Illustrated by guest artist Jordan Tuhura of Tuatahi Creative, the Doodle beautifully captures the essence of this important day.
It focuses on the themes of rangatiratanga (leadership) and partnership, reflecting the spirit of Te Tiriti o Waitangi (the Treaty of Waitangi) signed on February 6, 1840. It also symbolizes New Zealand's ongoing journey towards unity and understanding.
At Google, we recognize Waitangi Day's significance to Aotearoa’s history and its role as the foundation for the country's diverse landscape. We've been celebrating Waitangi Day through Google Doodles since 2018, with each year's artwork offering a unique interpretation of the positivity and unity that the Treaty represents.
At the heart of our 2025 Doodle, two figures representing Māori and the British Crown engage in a hongi, a traditional Māori greeting that signifies the sharing of life and connection. They are flanked by four powerful pou (carved figures) standing as guardians, representing the strength and resilience of the Māori people.
The Doodle seamlessly blends traditional Māori art forms with modern digital techniques. It serves as a powerful reminder of the partnership at the heart of Waitangi Day and New Zealand's commitment to building a future where different cultures coexist in harmony.
We're dedicated to celebrating and preserving Māori culture, language, and histories, and helping global audiences learn about them. From supporting te reo Māori in our products to showcasing the beauty of Aotearoa through initiatives like Google Doodle, we strive to honor the unique heritage of New Zealand and share it with the world.
Posted by Caroline Rainsford, Country Director, Google New Zealand
Over the past year, we have continued to make incredible progress in artificial intelligence. Today, we are releasing the first model in the Gemini 2.0 family of models: an experimental version of Gemini 2.0 Flash. It’s our workhorse model with low latency and enhanced performance at the cutting edge of our technology, at scale.
We are also sharing the frontiers of our agentic research by showcasing prototypes enabled by Gemini 2.0’s native multimodal capabilities.
Gemini 2.0 Flash
Gemini 2.0 Flash builds on the success of 1.5 Flash, our most popular model yet for developers, with enhanced performance at similarly fast response times. Notably, 2.0 Flash even outperforms 1.5 Pro on key benchmarks, at twice the speed. 2.0 Flash also comes with new capabilities. In addition to supporting multimodal inputs like images, video and audio, 2.0 Flash now supports multimodal output like natively generated images mixed with text and steerable text-to-speech (TTS) multilingual audio. It can also natively call tools like Google Search, code execution as well as third-party user-defined functions.
Our goal is to get our models into people’s hands safely and quickly. Over the past month, we’ve been sharing early, experimental versions of Gemini 2.0, getting great feedback from developers.
Gemini 2.0 Flash is available now as an experimental model to developers via the Gemini API in Google AI Studio and Vertex AI with multimodal input and text output available to all developers, and text-to-speech and native image generation available to early-access partners. General availability will follow in January, along with more model sizes.
To help developers build dynamic and interactive applications, we’re also releasing a new Multimodal Live API that has real-time audio, video-streaming input and the ability to use multiple, combined tools. More information about 2.0 Flash and the Multimodal Live API can be found in our developer blog.
Gemini 2.0 available in Gemini app, our AI assistant
Also starting today, Gemini users globally can access a chat optimized version of 2.0 Flash Experimental by selecting it in the model drop-down on desktop and mobile web and it will be available in the Gemini mobile app soon. With this new model, users can experience an even more helpful Gemini assistant.
Early next year, we’ll expand Gemini 2.0 to more Google products.
Unlocking agentic experiences with Gemini 2.0
Gemini 2.0 Flash’s native user interface action-capabilities, along with other improvements like multimodal reasoning, long context understanding, complex instruction following and planning, compositional function-calling, native tool use and improved latency, all work in concert to enable a new class of agentic experiences.
The practical application of AI agents is a research area full of exciting possibilities. We’re exploring this new frontier with a series of prototypes that can help people accomplish tasks and get things done. These include an update to Project Astra, our research prototype exploring future capabilities of a universal AI assistant; the new Project Mariner, which explores the future of human-agent interaction, starting with your browser; and Jules, an AI-powered code agent that can help developers.
We’re still in the early stages of development, but we’re excited to see how trusted testers use these new capabilities and what lessons we can learn, so we can make them more widely available in products in the future.
Project Astra: agents using multimodal understanding in the real world
Since we introduced Project Astra at I/O, we’ve been learning from trusted testers using it on Android phones. Their valuable feedback has helped us better understand how a universal AI assistant could work in practice, including implications for safety and ethics. Improvements in the latest version built with Gemini 2.0 include:
Better dialogue: Project Astra now has the ability to converse in multiple languages and in mixed languages, with a better understanding of accents and uncommon words.
New tool use: With Gemini 2.0, Project Astra can use Google Search, Lens and Maps, making it more useful as an assistant in your everyday life.
Better memory: We’ve improved Project Astra’s ability to remember things while keeping you in control. It now has up to 10 minutes of in-session memory and can remember more conversations you had with it in the past, so it is better personalized to you.
Improved latency: With new streaming capabilities and native audio understanding, the agent can understand language at about the latency of human conversation.
We’re working to bring these types of capabilities to Google products like Gemini app, our AI assistant, and to other form factors like glasses. And we’re starting to expand our trusted tester program to more people, including a small group that will soon begin testing Project Astra on prototype glasses.
Project Mariner: agents that can help you accomplish complex tasks
Project Mariner is an early research prototype built with Gemini 2.0 that explores the future of human-agent interaction, starting with your browser. As a research prototype, it’s able to understand and reason across information in your browser screen, including pixels and web elements like text, code, images and forms, and then uses that information via an experimental Chrome extension to complete tasks for you.
It’s still early, but Project Mariner shows that it’s becoming technically possible to navigate within a browser, even though it’s not always accurate and slow to complete tasks today, which will improve rapidly over time.
To build this safely and responsibly, we’re conducting active research on new types of risks and mitigations, while keeping humans in the loop. For example, Project Mariner can only type, scroll or click in the active tab on your browser and it asks users for final confirmation before taking certain sensitive actions, like purchasing something.
Trusted testers are starting to test Project Mariner using an experimental Chrome extension now, and we’re beginning conversations with the web ecosystem in parallel.
Jules: agents for developers
Next, we’re exploring how AI agents can assist developers with Jules — an experimental AI-powered code agent that integrates directly into a GitHub workflow. It can tackle an issue, develop a plan and execute it, all under a developer’s direction and supervision. This effort is part of our long-term goal of building AI agents that are helpful in all domains, including coding.
More information about this ongoing experiment can be found in our developer blog post.
Agents in games and other domains
Google DeepMind has a longhistory of using games to help AI models become better at following rules, planning and logic. Just last week, for example, we introduced Genie 2, our AI model that can create an endless variety of playable 3D worlds — all from a single image. Building on this tradition, we’ve built agents using Gemini 2.0 that can help you navigate the virtual world of video games. It can reason about the game based solely on the action on the screen, and offer up suggestions for what to do next in real time conversation.
We're collaborating with leading game developers like Supercell to explore how these agents work, testing their ability to interpret rules and challenges across a diverse range of games, from strategy titles like “Clash of Clans” to farming simulators like “Hay Day.”
Beyond acting as virtual gaming companions, these agents can even tap into Google Search to connect you with the wealth of gaming knowledge on the web.
In addition to exploring agentic capabilities in the virtual world, we’re experimenting with agents that can help in the physical world by applying Gemini 2.0's spatial reasoning capabilities to robotics. While it’s still early, we’re excited about the potential of agents that can assist in the physical environment.
You can learn more about these research prototypes and experiments at labs.google.
Building responsibly in the agentic era
Gemini 2.0 Flash and our research prototypes allow us to test and iterate on new capabilities at the forefront of AI research that will eventually make Google products more helpful.
As we develop these new technologies, we recognize the responsibility it entails, and the many questions AI agents open up for safety and security. That is why we are taking an exploratory and gradual approach to development, conducting research on multiple prototypes, iteratively implementing safety training, working with trusted testers and external experts and performing extensive risk assessments and safety and assurance evaluations.
For example:
As part of our safety process, we’ve worked with our Responsibility and Safety Committee (RSC), our longstanding internal review group, to identify and understand potential risks.
Gemini 2.0's reasoning capabilities have enabled major advancements in our AI-assisted red teaming approach, including the ability to go beyond simply detecting risks to now automatically generating evaluations and training data to mitigate them. This means we can more efficiently optimize the model for safety at scale.
As Gemini 2.0’s multimodality increases the complexity of potential outputs, we’ll continue to evaluate and train the model across image and audio input and output to help improve safety.
With Project Astra, we’re exploring potential mitigations against users unintentionally sharing sensitive information with the agent, and we’ve already built in privacy controls that make it easy for users to delete sessions. We’re also continuing to research ways to ensure AI agents act as reliable sources of information and don’t take unintended actions on your behalf.
With Project Mariner, we’re working to ensure the model learns to prioritize user instructions over 3rd party attempts at prompt injection, so it can identify potentially malicious instructions from external sources and prevent misuse. This prevents users from being exposed to fraud and phishing attempts through things like malicious instructions hidden in emails, documents or websites.
We firmly believe that the only way to build AI is to be responsible from the start and we'll continue to prioritize making safety and responsibility a key element of our model development process as we advance our models and agents.
Gemini 2.0, AI agents and beyond
Today’sreleases mark a new chapter for our Gemini model. With the release of Gemini 2.0 Flash, and the series of research prototypes exploring agentic possibilities, we have reached an exciting milestone in the Gemini era. And we’re looking forward to continuing to safely explore all the new possibilities within reach as we build towards AGI.
By Demis Hassabis, CEO of Google DeepMind and Koray Kavukcuoglu, CTO of Google DeepMind on behalf of the Gemini team
It's time for our annual Year in Search list, revealing Kiwis' top trending Google searches of 2024 - and it's packed with surprises!
What was on Kiwis' minds?
Kiwis had their eyes fixed on the world stage in 2024, with the US election dominating trending search queries. Sports captivated the nation. From the UEFA European Football Championship and Cricket T20 World Cup to the All Blacks’ rugby clash against England and the Australian Open, Kiwis proved once again they are sports fanatics.
A curious trend emerged this year: a surge in searches for the humble flat white. Perhaps it was fuelled by a rekindled debate about its origins - was it invented in New Zealand or Australia? Whatever the reason, this iconic Kiwi beverage struck a chord, landing a spot in the Top 10.
The tragic passing of Liam Payne sent shockwaves through the nation, sparking a wave of searches likely driven by One Direction nostalgia or a stark reminder of life's fragility. In a year marked by uncertainty, Kiwis sought escapism: flexing their vocabulary with the New York Times' Connections game or indulging their bargain-hunting instincts on Temu.
Memes: A blend of global awareness and local humour
"Raygun", inspired by Australian Olympian Rachael Gunn's breakdancing, was a viral sensation in New Zealand, topping the memes chart. The "Demure" trend, with its emphasis on kindness and composure, resonated with Kiwis’ friendly and welcoming spirit. Classic memes like “What’s up brother” and “Knee surgery” also proved popular, showing that Kiwis ultimately appreciate a good laugh above all else.
How-to searches reveal a nation eager to learn
Kiwis' "how-to" searches in 2024 reveal a nation eager to learn, adapt and explore the digital world. "How to watch the Olympics in NZ" emerged as #1, showing a sporting nation keen to catch the action even from afar. Beyond sports, “How to lock Facebook profile" reflects a growing desire for online privacy.
“How to make human in Infinite Craft" and "How to say Happy Matariki in te reo” showcased a country embracing both digital innovation and cultural heritage. And who could forget the "How to mew" trend? This tongue-positioning technique, promising a sculpted jawline, demonstrates the unpredictable nature of online trends.
Finally, no Kiwi year would be complete without the America's Cup, with "How to watch America's Cup in NZ" rounding out the top searches.
Beyond the trends
This year's Google searches paint a vivid picture of New Zealand in 2024: a nation connected to the world yet proud of its unique identity, embracing both tradition and technology, with a keen interest in everything from sports and current events to quirky online trends.
To bring the year's top trending searches to life visually, we collaborated with the Kākano Youth Arts Collective, a programme that supports vulnerable young artists. Our collaborating artist has brilliantly used birds to show some of the key moments of 2024 – very cool and very Kiwi!
Explore the Year in Search website to see the full list and uncover more of what intrigued Kiwis this year. And if you're on TikTok, keep an eye out for our cool new filter, to have fun guessing what Kiwis "Googled" the most in 2024!
Kiwis will soon have greater protection from online scams as Google rolls out Financial Services Verification in New Zealand, a step forward in the company's decades-long efforts to combat scams and create a safer online experience.
Starting November 7, select advertisers of financial products and services will be required to complete a verification process before they can run ads on Google's platforms. For most advertisers, this will entail obtaining verification that they are authorised by New Zealand authorities, including the Financial Markets Authority and Reserve Bank of New Zealand, to ensure only legitimate financial service providers can advertise on our platforms. We believe this will reduce the risk of Kiwis falling victim to fraudulent financial schemes online.
Scammers are constantly evolving and devising new tactics to evade detection, making this program a defence in ensuring only authorised financial providers can reach users on Google. By verifying select advertisers, we hope to give Kiwis greater peace of mind when interacting with financial services online.
This program builds upon Google's existing multi-layered approach to combating fraud and scams, which includes strict policies against misleading financial information, advanced enforcement using machine learning and human review, and an advertiser verification program launched in 2020. These efforts work together to protect users and maintain a safe advertising ecosystem.
The support of the New Zealand Government is critical to the success of this program, and we appreciate their collaboration.
Google will continue partnering with the New Zealand government and industry leaders in the ongoing fight against online scams. Together, we can create a safer and more secure online experience for all Kiwis.
Posted by Caroline Rainsford, Country Director, Google New Zealand
As a significant longtime supporter of New Zealand’s news industry, we are deeply concerned about the Fair Digital News Bargaining Bill. This Bill proposes a "link tax" that would require Google to pay simply for linking to news articles. While Google supports efforts to foster a sustainable future for New Zealand news, this Bill is not the right approach. We have outlined these concerns transparently in public submissions and in ongoing consultation with the Government.
We’ve been transparent with the Government that if the Bill were to proceed on its current trajectory and became law, we would be forced to make significant changes to our products and news investments. Specifically, we’d be forced to stop linking to news content on Google Search, Google News, or Discover surfaces in New Zealand and discontinue our current commercial agreements and ecosystem support with New Zealand news publishers.
These are not outcomes we want for New Zealanders, news publishers, or our business. We believe there is a sensible path forward and have proposed reasonable alternatives to the Government that do not harm smaller, local or regional publishers and maintain the principles of the open web, in line with recent agreements we've reached elsewhere.
We’ve outlined our current contribution to the New Zealand news industry, our concerns with the proposed Bill, as well as suggested alternatives to achieve the same goal, in more detail below.
Google’s long-standing contribution to the New Zealand news industry
We are proud of our long standing contribution to New Zealand’s news industry. Our services help connect New Zealanders with quality journalism every day, driving valuable traffic to publishers. Through our local partnerships and investments, we continue to contribute to a sustainable, diverse and innovative news ecosystem in New Zealand, including through Google News Showcase - a licensing program that covers over 95% of New Zealand digital news publishers and results in us paying millions of dollars per year to almost 50 local publications. [1]
Our investments in New Zealand news are targeted to help journalists and news publishers evolve in response to the changing way people are looking for and consuming information. Today, people are getting news from sources like short-form video, newsletters, social media, and curated podcasts, and many are avoiding the news entirely. We want to continue making contributions to the news ecosystem to help news publishers navigate this inflection point.
We’ve already helped New Zealand partners navigate these changes by supporting work to increase paid subscribers, create technology solutions that are fit for this future and personalise user experiences. The Bill as currently drafted would put these contributions at risk.
Google's Concerns with the Bill
We believe the proposed "link tax" model is fundamentally flawed and would generate unintended consequences and unsustainable models. Here's why:
Ineffective and Against the Open Web: Link taxes are in conflict with the principles of the open web, and have not proven effective in supporting journalism, as seen in similar situations where other platforms have disengaged after deciding it’s no longer feasible to carry news links, including in Australia and Canada. The Ministry for Culture and Heritage commissioned an independent report from Sapere that concluded “There is no plurality justification to require digital platforms to pay news firms for linking to news content.” [2]
Harmful to Smaller Publishers: Solutions that overwhelmingly benefit a small number of large operators at the expense of small and local language publishers are neither sustainable nor desirable outcomes for New Zealand. [3]
Business Uncertainty: The uncapped financial exposure, an opaque political process for exemption and lack of clarity in the current Bill create an untenable level of business uncertainty for any company. This makes it impossible to plan and invest effectively in New Zealand.
A Path Forward
We’ve been engaging with New Zealand publishers and lawmakers throughout the legislative process and have proposed reasonable and balanced alternatives to the draft Bill.
Google is currently the only tech company providing financial support to New Zealand's news industry - as we have been for over two years. Further strengthening New Zealand’s news industry will require additional public and private support from both the New Zealand Government and a broad base of private companies.
Looking ahead, we encourage the Government to reconsider the current Bill and engage in constructive dialogue to find alternative solutions that will ensure a sustainable future for New Zealand journalism. We are confident that, together, we can develop a better path forward.
_________
[1] This includes: NZ Herald, 1News, Stuff, Stuff Auckland, RNZ, The Post, Otago Daily Times, Otago Daily Times - Dunedin, The Spinoff, Newsroom, Waikato Times, The Star - Dunedin, The Star - Christchurch, Southland Times, Southland Express, Ashburton Guardian, Crux, Mahurangi Matters, Hibiscus Matters, Nelson App Online, Marlborough App Online, Northern Advocate, Northland Age, Kāhu, Waikato News, Bay of Plenty Times, Hawkes Bay Today, Rotorua Daily Post, Whanganui Chronicle, Stratford Press, Manawatu Guardian, Kapiti News, Horowhenua Chronicle, Te Awamutu Courier, Gisborne Herald, SunLive, Pacific Media Network, Scoop.co.nz, Taranaki Daily News, Manawatū Standard, Nelson Mail, Marlborough Express, The Press, Timaru Herald, Wairarapa Times-Age, Times Online, Wanaka App, Te Ao Māori News
[2] Sapere (date): The implications of competition and market trends for media plurality in New Zealand, page 77
[3] For example, independent analysis by The Media Ecosystem Observatory estimated a loss of Facebook traffic to Canadian news outlets of between 64 and 85% following similar legislation being introduced in Canada - similar impacts in New Zealand would be devastating for struggling smaller publishers.
Posted by Caroline Rainsford, Google New Zealand Country Director.
Kia ora koutou! As country director of Google New Zealand, and a passionate advocate for te reo Māori, I'm thrilled to share our small role in celebrating this year's Te Wiki o te Reo Māori.
If you often use te reo Māori when you're chatting with friends, family or colleagues online, you might find this Chrome extension handy. Google Input Tools makes it easy to add macrons to your writing on a Chromebook, and switch between different languages with just a click.
If you wish to learn te reo Māori in a fun, interactive way, check out the Kupu app. We worked with Spark on this innovative app that uses Google's tech to turn everyday things into Māori lessons. Just take a photo of something, and the app will say what it is in te reo. Kupu has gotten even better with more words, and recently, a new "Stories" feature where you can share photos and new words with others! It's a great way to make language learning social and enjoyable.
We're also proud to have added Māori to Google Translate over ten years ago. It's been a big help for people learning Māori, Māori communities talking to others, and New Zealand translators. Recently, we added several more Pacific Island languages to Google Translate too, like Fijian and Tok Pisin, which will benefit even more people across the islands.
Finally, I couldn't be prouder of the grassroots initiatives blossoming within the Google New Zealand team. Each week, a dedicated colleague shares new Māori words and phrases during our team call segment "Te Reo Tuesday”, enriching our vocabulary and deepening our connection to the Māori culture. Another colleague of mine has, in consultation with our cultural partner AU, created an engaging online training module for Googlers, delving into Aotearoa's history, te Tiriti o Waitangi, and the relevance of Māori values in our workplaces. Whenever we welcome honored guests, the team and I would sing them a Māori song as part of a Māori welcome at the door. These ground-up efforts are invaluable in fostering a deeper appreciation of te ao Māori within our team.
Celebrating Te Wiki o te Reo Māori with a hāngī feast and a scavenger hunt around the office
But we know there's still more to do to support and protect this language, which is so important to us in Aotearoa. We’re open to hearing your ideas and thoughts, and excited to see what the future holds for te Reo Māori. I know we can make a real difference in preserving and promoting this beautiful language, and I'm grateful for the chance to be a part of this journey.
He mihi nui ki a koutou katoa! Happy Māori Language Week.
Posted by Caroline Rainsford, Google New Zealand Country Director
Established by AVPN, the $5M Sustainability Seed Fund is supported by Google.org and the Asian Development Bank as the outreach partner. In its second iteration, this fund set out to support organisations using AI and Cloud tools to tackle pressing environmental challenges.
Wildlife.ai Trust will use the grant to create Wildlife Watcher, a smart camera trap using AI to improve wildlife conservation efforts. It promises more accurate animal identification, which will aid conservationists in preserving New Zealand’s natural heritage.
Dr Victor Anton, Founder of Wildlife.ai Trust
Dr Victor Anton, Founder and GM of Wildlife.ai Trust, says: "Imagine a wildlife camera that not only photographs animals but also uses cutting-edge AI to instantly identify them! That's the power of the Wildlife Watcher.”
He adds: “We're thrilled that the support of AVPN and Google.org willunlock a whole new level of animal monitoring. With their support, we'll create a user-friendly, affordable camera that empowers biologists and nature enthusiasts everywhere to track wildlife across vast areas and over time – something never before possible!”.
Founded in 2019, Wildlife.AI Trust has developed several projects to aid in conservation efforts. Pepeketua ID is a pattern recognition software that enables the individual identification of Archey's frogs, an archaic species of frog endemic to New Zealand’s North Island. Spyfish Aotearoa, a machine learning project, identifies fish in baited underwater videos, while Wētā Watcher is a smart camera that monitors ground-dwelling lizards and geckos.
Like the rest of the APAC region, New Zealand is susceptible to the impacts of climate change, making initiatives like the APAC Sustainability Seed Fund crucial. The 18 selected projects span a diverse range of environmental concerns, ranging from education and water resource management to circular economy and marine conservation. For more information about the program and its recipients, visit the APAC Sustainability Seed Fund 2.0 website.
Posted by Annie Lewin, Senior Director, Google.org
Government officials, business leaders and Google reps discussed AI’s potential to build a brighter future for New Zealand
Aug 22 - Google has reaffirmed its passion to support the New Zealand government in harnessing the power of AI to build a brighter future for the country. This was expressed during high-level discussions held yesterday in Wellington with Honourable Judith Collins, Minister for Digitising Government, and other key government officials.
At the event co-hosted by Minister Collins and Google New Zealand, a delegation of Google representatives, led by Country Director Caroline Rainsford, and including Urs Hölzle, one of Google’s earliest employees, shared their insights on AI's potential to drive economic growth, innovation, and societal progress. In attendance were key government figures including Paul James (Government Chief Digital Officer).
Google’s visit to Parliament aimed to showcase the exciting potential of AI to bring positive change to New Zealand. As a leader in AI innovation, Google also highlighted the company’s readiness to support this journey, while stressing the need for proactive engagement from government agencies to fully realise these opportunities.
Caroline Rainsford addresses the crowd at last night's Hui
Caroline Rainsford, Country Director of Google New Zealand, says: "The energy at Parliament House was palpable. There was definitely a shared excitement about AI's potential to transform New Zealand. From revolutionising healthcare to personalising education, the possibilities are immense.”
The discussions also highlighted the importance of smart regulations and collaborative efforts between the public and private sectors, to ensure the responsible and beneficial development of AI in New Zealand.
Rainsford adds: “Minister Collin’s optimistic approach to AI resonates with our vision. With our strong local presence, AI expertise, Cloud tools, and more, Google is ready to support the government’s vision for a digital New Zealand. We’re confident that we can help the country realise its AI aspirations with action and proactive engagement from government agencies."
Posted by Caroline Rainsford, Country Director of Google New Zealand
When 24 of the brightest, most curious minds from the Māori and Pasifika communities step into Google New Zealand's halls, amazing things happen.
Even though it was through a virtual internship, these students and working professionals didn't let that stop them from dreaming up solutions to some of the Pacific's most pressing challenges, and picking up important career skills.
This virtual internship program, a first in Aotearoa, was part of our collaboration with TupuToa to foster Māori and Pasifika representation in the tech industry.
Over three weeks, the 24 interns, divided into four groups of six, immersed themselves in mentorship and innovation, guided by four Googler mentors based in New Zealand and the United States, including Rob Coyne, Jacob Chalkley, Justin Keown and Hautahi Kingi.
The internship threw down the gauntlet: "If you could develop and change a Google product, what would it be and why?".
Fuelled by the challenge and their Googler mentors, the interns responded with four novel and innovative ideas, each with the potential to transform the lives of Māori and Pasifika communities.
These include an AI-powered mental health product for Māori and Pasifika communities, earlier disaster alerts, enhanced ways to trace Māori and Pasifika ancestry using Google tools, and a more efficient Google Scholar indexing system for research related to these communities.
As we delve into the feasibility of these four concepts, mentor Hautahi Kingi reflects on the profound impact of this internship program. His own journey, from growing up on a marae near Whanganui to becoming a Google Data Scientist in New York, resonates deeply with the aspirations of these interns.
Hautahi Kingi says he’s proud to have become the representation he longed for as a young person - a symbol of success for Māori and Pasifika individuals in the tech industry.
“It was a privilege to have the opportunity to work with these impressive and talented rangatahi,” he says. “The future looks bright for tech in Aotearoa.”
For TupuToa Initiative’s chief executive, Anne Fitisemanu, this was a much-needed step in the right direction. “Programmes like this internship are the foundation for TupuToa, that really help support and grow curious minds and foster innovation. The talent pool in our communities is vast and deep, and we’re proud to work alongside our partners to provide a platform to seek and nurture it.”
Google New Zealand is proud and thrilled that this program has ignited a spark in these 24 youths. They leave with a deeper passion for tech, connections with the tech industry, and skills that will serve them well in any field they choose, among them problem-solving, collaboration, and critical thinking.
We’re excited to see what the future holds for them and grateful to TupuToa for their partnership. We look forward to working together to build an even more inclusive tech landscape in and around New Zealand.
Give it up for these 24 interns! Amish Kumar, Anaya Cole, Asifa Hanif, Gloria Tawake, Hayden Richard-Marsters, Lachlan McCreanney, Lauryn Maxwell, Lenalei Chan Ting, Lomaloma Pepine, Lucas Bawden, Malia Carter, Maria Munsanda Analega Ioane, McKay Leehmann Rimbao, Michael Heavey, Miracle Faamalosi, Paulo Opetaia, Rahera Williams, Sakura Kawakami Potaka-Dewes, Tele Tamati, Tom Tamaira, Vensel Margraff, Zachariah Hunt.
And a big shout-out to the awesome foursome who clinched the Google challenge with their idea for a mental health virtual assistant, designed to bridge the gap between young people and mental health resources: Sakura Kawakami Potaka-Dewes, Zachariah Hunt, Lucas Bawden and Maria Munsanda Analega and Lachlan McCreanney (with mentor Justin Keown).
By Nathan Laing, Head of Scaled, Google Customer Solutions, Google New Zealand
We can see that new technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) are becoming part of everyday life and changing the way we work.
Having the skills and opportunity to use these new technologies is crucial - which is why we recently launched a new AI Essentials course, helping people to learn AI skills.
But we’re also keenly aware of the need to ensure New Zealand’s educators have the capabilities they need to teach the next generation of technologists, scientists and engineers. How do we ensure we are preparing New Zealand students for a digital future where these technologies will be integral to daily life and work?
Announcing the 2024 Educator PD Grants
By equipping educators with the knowledge and tools to integrate these technologies into their classrooms, we can prepare students to be not just consumers of technology but also creators, innovators, and critical thinkers who shape New Zealand’s digital future.
To effectively integrate AI and ML into education, we first need to ensure students have a solid foundation in computational thinking and computer science (CS). These foundations involve breaking down complex problems into smaller, more manageable steps, designing algorithms, and using data to make informed decisions. These skills are not only applicable to coding but also to everyday problem-solving.
Google’s Educator PD Grants program has been funding high quality professional development for educators throughout Australia and New Zealand since 2011. These PD opportunities have focused on these core computational skills and ensure that educators in regional and remote areas have access to relevant and engaging resources.
We’re excited to see many of the New Zealand 2024 grant awardees embracing AI education and upskilling in their PD workshops and look forward to the innovative uses of technology in the classroom.
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