AI gains momentum in New Zealand workplaces amid calls for oversight
According to findings from Workday's global study, "AI Agents Are Here – But Don't Call Them Boss", 75% of workers internationally are comfortable collaborating with AI agents, but only 30% are at ease with the idea of being managed by one. The study, which included New Zealand-specific analysis, sheds light on both the opportunities and limitations of AI agent adoption in the workplace.
Rollout gathers pace
New Zealand organisations are progressing quickly beyond the trial phase, particularly within finance and human resources. The data reveals that 43% of organisations are currently rolling out AI agents organisation-wide, with another 27% piloting projects on a smaller scale and 27% in early production. Just 1% remain in the early exploratory phase, highlighting robust momentum toward widespread AI integration.
This movement is especially pronounced in financial functions. Currently, 56% of New Zealand organisations are rolling out AI agents to support financial reporting, and within three years, 44% expect to scale such solutions further. High-impact finance areas were identified as core beneficiaries, with 61% favouring financial reporting and 39% forecasting and budgeting as the top uses for AI agents. Additionally, 61% of organisations are reporting at least moderate progress in accounting and financial planning enabled by these technologies.
Most New Zealand leaders anticipate tangible results from their investments in artificial intelligence in the short to medium term. The report shows that 86% of organisations expect AI agents to deliver a return on investment within 24 months of adoption - half of these expect ROI in 13-24 months, and 36% expect it in as little as 7-12 months.
Strategic sourcing and scalability
Organisations are favouring scalable approaches to AI integration, with 29% leveraging open-source frameworks and 24% modifying pre-built solutions, while only 5% are developing fully custom AI agents in-house. This pragmatic strategy is designed to accelerate adoption and amplify the operational impact of AI technologies across core functions.
Balancing optimism and concern
The report demonstrates optimism about AI's potential but also acknowledges clear reservations regarding ethics, security, and governance. Some 95% of New Zealand respondents believe AI agents will increase productivity, and 84% anticipate rapid innovation as a result of adoption. At the same time, 72% believe societal benefits will outweigh challenges.
However, persistent concerns remain. The majority (57%) trust humans more than AI to be fair and unbiased in financial and compliance decisions. Only 31% are confident in AI agents making work-related decisions on their behalf. Security and privacy are viewed as the most pressing risks by 45% of respondents, closely followed by ethical issues such as bias and discrimination (31%), while 44% are concerned about the potential for misuse like surveillance or manipulation.
Ethics and governance are viewed as significant barriers to further AI adoption (42%), and nearly two-thirds (64%) favour regulation through ethical guidelines. Just under half (49%) prefer strict human oversight of AI agent operations at all times. Policies currently focus on security (71%), monitoring (66%), and ethical standards (65%), but only a minority address global regulations (29%) and explainability (23%).
Human oversight takes precedence
There is a pronounced preference for maintaining human oversight, particularly in sensitive functions. The research shows 88% believe that IT or technology teams should be primarily responsible for managing AI agents, reflecting a reliance on specialist technical expertise rather than operational or HR-led oversight.
The appetite for AI autonomy varies widely depending on context. Respondents report greater comfort when AI acts as a collaborator (73%) or recommends skills development (76%), but far less so when it comes to AI making financial decisions (33%) or managing employees directly (16%). More generally, just 31% trust AI agents to make work-related decisions on their behalf, while only 14% believe AI will surpass human intelligence within five years, reflecting ongoing scepticism about granting AI full autonomy in the workplace. "Our research reveals compelling insight into New Zealand's AI adoption journey. While 95% of organisations believe AI agents will boost productivity and 86% expect returns within two years, there's a clear preference for human oversight, particularly in high-stakes areas like financial compliance where 57% still trust humans over AI to make fair, unbiased decisions. This isn't resistance to change, it's smart, strategic implementation."
Jonathan Brabant, New Zealand Director at Workday, noted increasing sophistication in the way local organisations are deploying AI.
"What's most encouraging is that organisations aren't just experimenting anymore. Our research finds 43% are already rolling out AI agents organisation-wide, with finance leading the charge. But they're doing it thoughtfully, with 64% supporting ethical guidelines and 88% citing a preference for AI management to be under strict technical oversight. This balanced approach stands to position New Zealand businesses to capture the productivity gains while maintaining the trust and critical thinking that drives real business value."
The report also highlights that clear boundaries for AI use are widely supported, with respondents consistently in favour of human control in high-stakes decisions and a cautious regulatory approach to AI autonomy. This is seen as vital to maintaining stakeholder confidence as organisations further integrate artificial intelligence into their operations.
Internationally, the findings mirror New Zealand's cautious optimism. Across all surveyed regions, employees and business leaders support strong transparency measures and prioritise human empowerment as central to successful AI adoption. Building trust and balancing productivity gains with ethical oversight remain key priorities as organisations scale up their use of AI agents.
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