Indigenous leadership and digital sovereignty at the forefront of 'Revved' technology conference

Auckland recently hosted the 'Revved: Engineering Change' conference, a gathering of critical thinkers and changemakers focused on the future of artificial intelligence (AI) in Aotearoa. As reported by RNZ’s The Detail on 10 August 2026, the event brought together over 800 attendees to discuss how New Zealand can navigate the impact of global technology on local jobs and communities. Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Whātua chief executive Rēnata Blair opened the proceedings with a call for bold, future-focused thinking. Blair highlighted the importance of Māori leadership in technology, introducing two rangatahi of Ngāti Whātua descent as examples of the next generation stepping into this space. His message emphasised that the path forward for Aotearoa requires a determined assertion of national sovereignty similar to the country’s historic anti-nuclear stance. Frances Valintine, founder of academyEX, urged the room to consider the risks of relying solely on offshore AI models. She noted that tools from global tech giants often lack interest in New Zealand-specific implications. Valintine challenged the audience to curate a future shaped by local values rather than external ones, asking: "The question was never should we adopt AI? The question is who do we build it with?" Addressing the digital divide, Julia Pahina, founder of south Auckland-based Fibre Fale, reminded leaders that technical advancement must be inclusive. She pointed out that 25 percent of the Pacific population currently lacks home internet access. As the fastest-growing and youngest demographic in the country, Pahina stressed that solving today’s connectivity issues is essential to ensuring all communities can participate in the AI-driven future. The conference also featured success stories from local tech heads like Alliv Samson of Kami, who demonstrated that globally influential companies can be successfully grown and sustained while remaining based in New Zealand.