AI in February

AI in New Zealand

Upcoming Engineering New Zealand webinars

Engineering and AI Panel Q&A Webinar  3 The third in our Q&A series, this panel webinar will explore AI in 2026: Expectations, risks and opportunities for engineering companies. Artificial Intelligence is moving quickly from experimentation to real engineering practice. But what is actually making a difference? What is genuinely useful in 2026? And how should engineering companies decide what to adopt, and what to avoid?

Robotic Renaissance: Advancing Construction with BIM Enabled Robotics. As they began the New Dunedin Hospital Outpatients Project, Southbase aimed to push the boundaries of speed, accuracy, and safety for delivering this complex asset. Building on their extensive BIM coordination and digital implementation, they achieved two New Zealand construction firsts with the Hiliti Jaibot and the HP Site Printer. This presentation will cover the digital requirements necessary to enable these workflows on site.

Upcoming AI Forum webinars

First Quarter Business & Technology Disruption Briefing 2026 This quarterly briefing explores emerging business and technology trends shaping 2026, including AI, automation and digital transformation. It is designed for leaders who want a clear view of what is changing and where disruption is likely to occur next. Free registration is available using the code AECQBB1, making it an accessible way to stay informed on strategic risks and opportunities across the engineering and construction sector.

Real New Zealand AI case studies and success stories from the field This webinar shares practical examples of how engineering firms, including GHD and Mott MacDonald, are implementing AI with measurable results. It covers real-world use cases such as document automation and RFI processing, AI-supported project scheduling and resource optimisation, design automation and generative design, and quality control using computer vision. The session is relevant for anyone interested in how AI is disrupting engineering practice and creating new opportunities to evolve how we work.

Latest news

Sensors installed in Christchurch’s Port Hills to help prevent spread of fires New sensors have been installed across Christchurch’s Port Hills to detect early signs of fire and monitor conditions in real time. The system is designed to provide faster alerts and better situational awareness for emergency responders. It is a practical example of how sensor networks, data analytics and AI can support risk reduction and resilience in high-risk environments.

NZ infrastructure and manufacturing primed for AI This Beca press release highlights the opportunity for AI to lift productivity across New Zealand’s infrastructure and manufacturing sectors. It points to gains in asset performance, predictive maintenance and data-driven decision-making. The message is clear: early and practical adoption will shape competitive advantage in capital-intensive industries.

AI exposure in the New Zealand labour market This research estimates how exposed different New Zealand occupations are to AI and robotics. It separates tasks likely to be supported by AI from those that remain strongly human-led. Useful context for workforce planning and training decisions.

Can artificial intelligence legally be an inventor? This RNZ article outlines a New Zealand patent law challenge around AI-generated inventions. The case highlights how intellectual property settings affect engineering innovation. Worth following if your team uses AI in design or product work.

New Zealand’s first authenticated agentic transactions with Westpac Mastercard and Westpac have tested AI agents completing authenticated transactions. This signals a shift toward AI tools interacting directly with live systems. It raises engineering questions around security, consent, and auditability.

TakeoffQS A New Zealand-built tool that uses AI to speed up quantity take-offs and measurement from plans. By automating parts of the estimating process, it reduces manual counting and repetitive data entry, helping teams move from drawings to cost estimates more quickly. It is a practical example of AI supporting an established workflow rather than replacing professional judgement. Relevant for builders, cost planners and quantity surveying teams looking to improve efficiency and consistency.

The OpenClaw moment and what it means for NZ Business This AI New Zealand article reflects on the rapid uptake of OpenClaw-style automation tools and what they signal for local businesses. It argues that accessible AI agents are lowering the barrier to building custom workflows, content systems and internal tools. For New Zealand organisations, the opportunity is less about hype and more about practical productivity gains in everyday operations.

AI in Engineering

World-first underwater 3D concrete printing This demonstration shows submerged 3D printing alongside a concrete formulation designed to resist washout. It indicates how automation may extend into constrained environments. Relevant for engineers tracking construction innovation.

AI-designed methane rocket engine hot-fire tests in weeks (LEAP 71) This report highlights compressed design-to-test cycles using AI-supported engineering. The broader lesson is about reduced iteration time in complex systems. Similar acceleration may appear in other engineering domains.

Kawasaki K-RACER wind turbine maintenance demo (video) This video shows a drone delivering a robot to a wind turbine blade. It illustrates potential future inspection and maintenance approaches. The engineering focus remains reliability, safety, and assurance.

Aircraft engines repurposed to power AI data centres FTAI plans to convert used aircraft engines into modular power units for AI data centres. The approach targets faster deployment of on-site generation to meet growing energy demand. It highlights the tight link between AI expansion and engineering solutions for power supply and infrastructure resilience.

AI global

Can AI make scientific discoveries? This position paper explores whether AI systems can be considered genuine scientific inventors. It examines philosophical and practical implications of AI-generated hypotheses and designs. The discussion is relevant to engineers working at the boundary of automated design and innovation.

Anthropic declines to endorse expanded AI weapons framework The United States is reportedly considering changes to its policy on AI-enabled weapons, potentially easing requirements for meaningful human control over autonomous systems. The move comes as major AI companies deepen their collaboration with the Pentagon, accelerating the integration of advanced models into defence and security operations. As AI becomes embedded in military decision-making, questions around governance, accountability, and ethical boundaries are becoming more urgent.

Robotic roundup

Spot robot patrols aerospace plant ST Engineering MRAS has deployed Boston Dynamics’ Spot robot to patrol its aerospace facility. The robot monitors equipment and identifies issues before they become costly breakdowns. It is a practical example of robotics supporting predictive maintenance in large industrial environments.

Ball-shaped pet robot captures AI highlight reels FrontierX has unveiled Vex, a small spherical robot that follows pets indoors and records video. The footage is automatically edited into short AI-generated highlight clips. It shows how robotics, computer vision and generative AI are merging in consumer products.

Humanoid startup builds bipedal robot in 10 months UK startup Humanoid has released a short documentary outlining how it built a bipedal robot in under a year. The project highlights rapid hardware iteration supported by modern software and AI tools. Meanwhile, Unitree’s robots drew global attention during the Chinese Spring Festival Gala, reinforcing the pace of development in legged robotics.

China launches robot combat competition China has introduced the Ultimate Robot Knockout Legend, a public competition featuring robotic combat. Beyond entertainment, these events demonstrate agility, control systems and real-time decision-making. They also act as a public showcase for rapid robotics development.

Tesla’s Cybercab reaches production milestone Tesla’s Cybercab has rolled off the production line ahead of its planned launch. The milestone signals continued investment in autonomous mobility systems. For engineers, the key questions remain around safety validation, regulation and large-scale deployment.

AI tools and models

Claude Cowork brings code power to knowledge work Anthropic’s Cowork extends Claude’s capabilities into everyday document and file workflows. It is designed to help users organise, edit and generate content directly within their working environment. The focus is on practical productivity gains across knowledge-heavy tasks.

Anthropic launches Claude Sonnet 4.6 Tech commentary notes that Sonnet 4.6 strengthens reasoning and coding performance at a lower price point, making it a viable backend for agents and complex workflows without the premium cost of flagship models.

Google launches Gemini 3.1 Pro Google has rolled out Gemini 3.1 Pro with improved reasoning capabilities. The model is aimed at complex tasks such as synthesising data, generating code-based animations and building interactive 3D experiences from text prompts. It reflects continued competition around high-performance, reasoning-focused AI models.

Custom agents in action from Notion Demonstrations of custom AI agents show how users can configure tools to complete structured multi-step tasks. These agents move beyond chat responses into workflow execution. For engineers the key consideration is governance and clear boundaries for autonomous actions.

Interesting reading

A Guide to Which AI to Use in the Agentic Era This guide outlines how to choose between models and tools as AI systems become more agent-driven. It compares strengths across reasoning, coding, automation and cost. Useful if you are trying to match the right model to a specific workflow rather than defaulting to one tool.

The AI Ethics Brief #184: What Deserves Your Attention This edition highlights current ethical issues in AI, from governance to emerging risks. It curates developments that may not make mainstream headlines but have longer-term implications. A good read for engineers and leaders tracking responsible adoption.

Give it a go

The Master Prompt to generate a basic AI Policy. | AI New Zealand This AI New Zealand article provides a structured prompt to help organisations draft a simple AI use policy. It covers key elements such as permitted uses, data handling, oversight and risk management. A useful starting point if your organisation needs a practical first draft rather than a blank page.

OpenClaw automation use cases go viral This short video showcases five practical tasks automated using OpenClaw, from daily custom lessons to content pipelines. The examples focus on simple, repeatable workflows that many teams already manage manually. It is a useful reminder that small, targeted automations can deliver quick productivity gains without complex technical builds.

Final note

If you have tools, case studies or events you would like included in future editions, or just want to let us know what you want more of, please get in touch