New Zealand firms adopting AI see 6.8% revenue lift, study finds
Large organisations in New Zealand that have adopted artificial intelligence recorded an additional $59.1 million in revenue during the 2025 financial year compared to non-adopters, according to a report from 2degrees and Deloitte Access Economics.
Small firms saw a more modest but still meaningful gain: $400,000, or 4.3% more revenue than their peers without AI.
The findings quantify what many executives suspect but few have measured precisely. Businesses at the frontier of AI adoption showed 11.9% higher firm-level productivity than those without the technology.
Why the gains matter for HR leaders
The productivity jump matters because New Zealand has slipped on key metrics. The country has fallen behind on capital productivity, GDP per capita, and investment spending. For HR professionals tasked with justifying workforce investments, these numbers provide concrete evidence that AI adoption can reverse that trend.
Liza van der Merwe, Deloitte Access Economics Lead Partner at Deloitte New Zealand, said the gains depend on having the right foundations. "Progress depends on building mindset, systems, and skills in tandem," she said. "When these come together, businesses are far better placed to turn AI into real productivity gains."
Andrew Fairgray, Chief Business Officer at 2degrees, stressed that adoption alone doesn't guarantee results. "AI itself will not lift productivity. The benefits depend on how effectively organisations adopt it, integrate it, and build the capability to use it well," he said.
Most firms are already experimenting
More than 82% of New Zealand businesses use AI at work. Most rely on AI features built into tools they already own rather than standalone solutions.
Van der Merwe warned that without proper systems and capability, organisations risk getting stuck in experimentation. "That means integrating AI into day-to-day operations, supported by the right infrastructure, processes, and ways of working," she said.
For HR teams, this signals the need to move beyond pilot projects. The real gains come from redesigning workflows, rethinking how work gets done, and building teams with the skills to use these tools effectively.
Fairgray noted the opportunity is clear but requires deliberate action. "Redesign how you're using it, and transform how you're thinking about the business," he said.
HR leaders looking to build capability in this area can explore AI for CHROs to understand implementation strategy, or browse AI Productivity Courses to understand how adoption drives measurable results.
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