New Zealand has the energy, mentality and digital foundation to thrive in the AI age – but One NZ’s Juliet Jones says that only holds if connectivity is treated as critical national infrastructure.
New Zealand has many of the ingredients to thrive in a digital world, but strong investment in connectivity infrastructure is vital to ensure it does, a senior telecommunications industry executive believes.
One NZ’s chief corporate officer Juliet Jones says while “we already have a good digital backbone”, the infrastructure needed to underpin our digital economy in the future and unlock the country’s potential will become increasingly important.
“This is even more so in the AI age, both to ensure New Zealand doesn’t get left behind and to prepare for what comes next” she says.
“But I do think we have the opportunity to get ahead of the game. We have the energy, the mentality and businesses that know how to get on with things.”
As a leader in telecommunications and digital services, One NZ has a key role to play in this digital future, Jones says.
“We are not only a business owner and provider of digital services, but an investor too,” she explains.
“Every year we invest hundreds of millions of dollars in our infrastructure and so we like to think we will have a voice in shaping the right future settings whether they be regulatory, sustainability-led, public policy issues, resource management or system resilience.
“We need to be thinking beyond the services people use today. Creating the right environment for continued investment is essential to ensure the country has the digital backbone it needs to help drive productivity.”
Infrastructure also needs to be resilient and secure enough to protect against weather events and cyber threats. Last year, One NZ blocked over 14 million attempts to access scam or malicious websites.
Jones – who is also chair of One NZ’s charitable foundation, Te Rourou, focused on helping rangatahi (young people) thrive – says connectivity needs to be seen as a critical part of national infrastructure because the next wave of digital development will bring about sweeping changes, heralded by the deployment of smarter tech like AI.
One NZ’s 2026 AI Trust Report, based on an independent survey of 1001 New Zealanders about their attitude to AI, revealed that while 41% consider AI’s biggest positive impact is its strong potential to boost productivity, a majority (62%) would stop using organisations they believe misuse the technology.
The report also showed that while 29% of New Zealanders are confident and frequent users of AI, most of us remain cautious. We’re also aware of the environmental impacts of AI, with 66% citing increased electricity use and increased water use (51%) as areas of concern.
Jones says One NZ is exploring ways in which AI can drive greater efficiencies, productivity and sustainability.
“We don’t have all the answers to people’s concerns, but it is important we use AI in the right way.”
Jones says prioritising renewable energy is also a key for One NZ.
As part of its commitment to the global climate action organisation Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), it has a target to reduce its environmental impact by sourcing 100% renewable energy by 2030. An example of this is its use of solar to help power the data centre and mobile site near the new One New Zealand Stadium in Christchurch.
One NZ’s latest Sustainability Report revealed that its energy consumption has increased at a slower rate (rising 26% between 2025 and 2026) despite data traffic growing by more than 28% over the same period and the number of 4G and 5G sites across the country increasing by 48% and 60% respectively.
Jones says a strong digital future needs to be inclusive, and access to technology is about more than providing a device or an internet connection.
“It is also about giving people the skills, confidence and opportunities to participate,” she says.
“Through Te Rourou we focus on helping young people who may be experiencing digital exclusion or disadvantage because they don’t have a phone or for reasons like affordability.”
Every year for the last 10 years, One NZ has contributed $2 million to Te Rourou, who fund youth-focused charities and causes.
For more information, visit one.nz