AI adoption is accelerating, but adoption alone does not guarantee value or benefits for New Zealand organisations. For many teams, the challenge is no longer accessing AI tools but understanding how to use them effectively, safely and consistently in day-to-day work.
That is one of the reasons Datacom developed its Copilot Enablement programme, a hands-on approach designed to help organisations build confidence, develop practical skills and identify where AI can make the biggest difference. The programme is helping customers move beyond curiosity and experimentation towards practical, everyday use of Microsoft 365 Copilot – support that is clearly needed according to Datacom's 2026 State of AI Index research, which shows that while 91% of New Zealand organisations are now using some form of AI, the majority (81%) remain in the exploration or implementation stages of AI maturity.
With this programme, the Datacom team is also focused on taking capability beyond New Zealand's main centres. Rather than expecting regional organisations to travel to Auckland, Wellington or Christchurch, the programme has been delivered directly to customers across New Zealand including Dunedin, Whakatāne and Tauranga, helping ensure businesses and public sector organisations across Aotearoa can participate in the opportunities AI presents.
Across the first 13 organisations to participate in the programme, one finding stood out: most people were starting from a position of limited experience. That's consistent with what Datacom is seeing more broadly. The 2026 State of AI Index – based on a survey of more than 200 New Zealand senior business leaders from organisations with more than 100 employees – identified a lack of internal capability and skills as the single biggest barrier preventing organisations from scaling AI.
Among those that took part in the Copilot Enablement programme with Datacom, 80% of attendees had never received any AI or Copilot training before attending a session. Yet by the end of the programme, positive sentiment towards Copilot had increased from 53% to 96%. Every participating organisation recorded an improvement.
Delivered by Datacom's AI Business Solutions team, the sessions focus on practical application rather than theory. Participants work through real business scenarios using Copilot in Word, Outlook, Excel and Teams, explore prompting techniques, and gain an introduction to building no-code AI agents. The goal is simple: help people understand where AI can support the work they already do.
According to Datacom Customer Success Manager Ralf Wittgen, that practical focus is what makes the difference.
"What we've found is that most people don't need convincing that AI matters. They're looking for practical ways to use it in their own role. Once they can see how it helps them write, analyse information or manage routine tasks, the conversation changes very quickly."
One organisation seeing value from the programme is Hāpaitia Shared Services, which supports a number of public sector organisations.
Following the training, Payroll and Payables Officer Rupal Singh said the practical examples and guidance helped make Copilot relevant to day-to-day work.
"I use it for drafting emails, Excel support, payroll and accounting queries, and many other daily tasks. It saves time, provides accurate assistance, and helps me work more efficiently."
Those experiences mirror findings from Datacom's State of AI Index, where time savings and productivity improvements emerged as the most commonly reported benefits organisations were seeing from their AI investments.
Hāpaitia Chief Executive Officer Chris Gosling described the Microsoft Copilot training session as "extremely informative and engaging", while ICT Manager Arun Padala said the programme provided valuable insights and practical ideas that could be applied across the organisation.
The experience reflects a broader trend Datacom is seeing across customers. Interest in AI is already there. What many organisations need is support to connect the technology to their own processes, people and priorities.
The organisations participating in the programme represent a broad cross-section of New Zealand's economy, including agriculture, infrastructure, services, manufacturing and export, tertiary education, local government, property and public services. Participating organisations have included Ballance Agri-Nutrients, Delta, the University of Otago, Hāpaitia Shared Services and Edinburgh Realty.
For many of these organisations, access to hands-on AI enablement has traditionally been more limited than in larger urban centres.
In Dunedin, Delta' cohort achieved 100% positive sentiment following the session and identified AI agents as an area they wanted to explore further. At Ballance Agri-Nutrients in Tauranga, participants finished the programme with 100% positive sentiment and began investigating opportunities to extend Copilot into Dynamics 365 workflows. A council that participated gave the programme its highest customer rating, scoring the session 4.7 out of 5.
Otago Polytechnic has also seen immediate benefits from using Copilot within its Registry team. Andy Crossman said it had reduced the time spent searching for information, drafting communications and creating documentation.
“The productivity gains have been substantial. Tasks that may currently take 30 to 60 minutes, such as drafting complex correspondence, reviewing procedures or summarising policies, have been completed in a fraction of the time. Copilot also allows staff to focus more time on complex enquiries requiring human judgement.”
VOYCE - Whakarongo Mai, an independent advocacy and not-for-profit organisation for care experienced tamariki and rangatahi, has also found practical value in day-to-day work.
Gabriella Guy from VOYCE says Copilot is making life easier for reporting. “I’ve been using Copilot in Excel this week as I complete my end of year reporting. It’s so much easier.”
These examples highlight a common theme. Regardless of sector or location, organisations are looking for practical ways to improve productivity, simplify routine work and help employees get more value from technology they already have access to.
The programme has also provided insight into where organisations want to focus next.
Customers are increasingly asking for role-specific enablement, agent-building workshops, leadership sessions and support around governance and adoption planning. The conversation is gradually shifting from learning what Copilot can do to understanding how it fits into broader business processes and organisational priorities.
For Datacom Director AI Business Solutions Meccedes Rasmussen, that shift is an important indicator of progress.
“The organisations getting the most value out of AI are not necessary the ones moving the fastest, they are the ones investing in capability and enabling their people, with appropriate risk tolerances and governance to unlock value.”
Datacom's follow-on services are designed to support that next stage, helping customers move from initial experimentation towards sustained and governed adoption. These include role-based deep dives, agent-building workshops, leadership and strategy sessions, and governance and licensing clinics.
For Datacom, the programme highlights a broader challenge facing organisations across New Zealand.
Access to AI technology is becoming easier but building the confidence, skills and habits needed to create value from it remains a challenge for many organisations.
Whether the organisation is a local council in the BOP, a services company in Dunedin, an agricultural co-operative in Tauranga or a public sector services provider, the pattern is remarkably consistent. People become more confident when they can see how AI applies to their own work, experiment with it in a safe environment and understand how to use it responsibly.
As more organisations explore the role AI can play in their operations, the opportunity may be less about adopting another technology tool and more about helping people develop the confidence to use it well.
"The result of these sessions was that it created a massive momentum across the end-users," says Wittgen. "They no longer perceive AI and Copilot as a threat, but as a tool helping them while still keeping the 'human in the loop'. This is a significant catalyst for any roll-out, with this positive momentum paired with IT driven security and governance you can build a fantastic foundation for a successful roll-out and adaption across the business."
AI adoption is growing across New Zealand, but turning potential into practical value remains a challenge. Datacom’s hands-on Copilot Enablement programme helps organisations build confidence, develop skills and use Microsoft 365 Copilot effectively in everyday work. With sessions delivered across Aotearoa, the programme is making AI capability more accessible to businesses and public sector organisations nationwide.
