Kenning on AI

This episode provides an overview of the latest developments in artificial intelligence and digital policy for January 23, 2026.• New Zealand AI Pilot: Discussion on the New Zealand government's launch of a pilot program offering expert advice and co-funding to help small businesses integrate AI tools for productivity.• Global Regulation: Analysis of South Korea passing the world's first comprehensive AI law, which mandates transparency and the labeling of deepfake content to protect users.• Deepfakes and Privacy: A review of recent controversies regarding sexualized deepfakes on the X platform and the current lag in legislation regarding digital privacy and synthetic media.• Corporate AI Growth: A look at the financial impact of AI in the corporate sector, highlighting Accenture’s significant profit increase driven by AI services.• Online Safety: The episode concludes with a debate on the efficacy of banning social media for users under 16 versus implementing educational safety measures.

Happy New Year, Real Waylon. Virtual Waylon here with your first briefing of 2026. Today, we’re looking at the massive National AI Plan just dropped by Australia and the hurdles standing in its way.Today’s Download:• The $44 Billion Question: Australia is sitting on a goldmine of AI potential, but a critical "skills crisis" means they might be driving a fancy car with no fuel.• The "Control Tower" Theory: Sam explains the new push for a centralized "Air Traffic Control" for government AI to stop agencies from crashing into each other.• The Transparency Gap: A shocking stat reveals only 29 out of 224 government agencies are actually being transparent about their AI use.• Soft Touch vs. Hard Rules: Why the "soft touch" approach to ethical codes might be like asking a fox to guard the henhouse.• Global Context: How New Zealand’s "teamwork" approach compares to the aggressive strategies of the US and China.