AI and the Future of Information Management in NZ Government

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Earlier this month, I had the privilege of attending the DigiGov Leaders Summit | GovTech Aotearoa alongside my colleagues, Desktop Imaging’s CEO Andy Fenton and General Manager Malcolm Davidson. We had the opportunity to connect with digital leaders from across central and local government—people who are strategically leveraging AI and digital transformation to deliver value-driven, efficient services for improved citizen outcomes in today’s rapidly evolving technological landscape.

Some key themes really stood out for us, for example:

To succeed, CIOs must commit to a consistent pace of innovation, build resilience and adaptability, and develop a vision of long-term success towards a finishing line which is almost certainly going to change.

Andy also observed that Paul James, New Zealand’s Government Chief Digital Officer (GCDO), spoke about the value of giving a ratepayer or taxpayer a consistent experience when dealing with a multitude of different government or local government departments—something that sounds simple, but is deceptively complex when systems, processes, and data are fragmented. This resonated with commentary we have read & written about from our Public Service Commissioner, Sir Brian Roche, who has been promoting a shift for government departments to start focusing on delivering value to New Zealanders, and understanding what value is.

The Rising Challenge of Data—and the Opportunity with AI

Just days after the summit, a similar conversation surfaced at an information management gathering, where 30+ IM and RM professionals shared insights. A familiar and pressing challenge quickly took centre stage: the exponential growth of unstructured data.

Government agencies are accumulating massive volumes of digital records—emails, files, and documents—often stored in Microsoft Azure or AWS. The cost implications are becoming more urgent, especially for those managing tight budgets. In one example shared, a government agency reduced its cloud-based storage more than 40%, saving  10 TB, achieving significant savings simply by knowing what data they had and what could be safely disposed of, or destroyed.

But here’s the issue: humans alone can’t keep up. The volume, variety, and velocity of data are growing beyond our capacity to manually manage. That’s where ethical, explainable AI enters the conversation.

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A New Kind of Technology for Information Governance

We’ve recently been exploring a new type of AI-powered technology that’s purpose-built to help organisations regain control of their digital records and data. This platform offers:

• Deep visibility across all systems and datasets
• True AI-based autoclassification of data
• Improved discoverability of information
• Identification of cyber and privacy risks
• Lifecycle automation for retention, archiving, or disposal
• Governance for generative AI and regulatory compliance
• Automated Purview security labelling (their newest capability)

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Importantly, it operates without disruption to users or source systems. The technology reads and classifies every record across the organisation, helping decision-makers reduce risk, uncover value, and take informed action. Because it's built with ethical, transparent AI—with full auditability and explainability for every decision—it also reduces legacy data. That, in turn, cuts breach risk and incident-response costs. So there’s more than one way to save.

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Real-World Results and Relevance to Aotearoa

This technology is already being successfully used in sectors such as defence, law enforcement, healthcare, infrastructure, education, and government—both in New Zealand and internationally.

We’ve seen case studies where organisations were able to unify their governance processes, streamline compliance, and significantly reduce cloud storage costs, all without adding extra workload to their frontline teams.

If your agency is grappling with data overload, it’s not just about reducing cost—it’s about unlocking insights, managing risk, and creating sustainable digital practices.

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Let’s Explore This Together

At Desktop Imaging, we’re always looking ahead—especially when it comes to the intersection of digital transformation, automation, and information management. That’s why we’re inviting New Zealand agencies to explore this technology with us.

We’re happy to coordinate a demo or small-scale trial during June/July 2025. If the results are as promising as they appear, it may be something worth considering for 2026 and beyond—before your Azure becomes a digital monster.

Want to explore how this could work in your agency? [Email your interest] and we’ll send you demo details and additional sector-specific examples.

Ngā mihi nui,
Steve Beighton
Director, Desktop Imaging

Tags: AI, Data Governance, Information Management, Legacy Data, NZ Government, DI Automation

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