Artificial Intelligence (AI) Guiding Principles

“In uncertain times, in an age of increased mediation and synthetic storytelling, we will lean into the human. The medium of filmmakers is film, but the medium of the film industry is people. The value of the work is created in its meeting with the human audience. The value of the business is created by the humans in it.”  Nostradamus Report: Paradox of Hope (2024)

The approach to Artificial Intelligence (AI) by the NZFC is based on the following key principles.  These principles are in alignment with those published by Screen Australia, which are available here.

Talent, creativity, culture and the individual. We will prioritise the human talent, creativity and culture that are the heart of New Zealand’s screen industry and the content it creates. This includes ensuring that the rights of screen practitioners are adequately protected including in relation to the use of their personal information, likeness, persona and intellectual property in training data, prompts or any generated outputs from AI systems.

Productivity and efficiency. Use of AI can yield significant productivity and efficiency gains, when used in an appropriate and effective way. We intend to employ AI to enhance and expedite our administrative processes, to enable our staff to focus on high value work and deliver the strongest possible outcomes for our stakeholders.

Te Ao Māori. Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property (ICIP) rights must be respected and protected in any use of AI. In addition, regard must be had to Te Tiriti o Waitangi, mātauranga Māori, tikanga, kawa and other salient considerations in any use of AI.

Transparency. Use of AI should be based on trust, which in turn requires transparency. We, our stakeholders and the wider industry should be informed about how and when AI may be used, for what purposes and who may be impacted. Audiences should similarly be informed about the use of AI in screen content they consume.

Ethical use of AI. We support the ethical use of AI systems and encourage the application of the Public Service AI Framework’s five key principles and AI Forum NZ’s Trustworthy AI in Aotearoa AI Principles in the design, development and implementation of AI. Their use should not unjustly harm, exclude, disempower or discriminate against any individual, community or group or perpetuate societal injustices.

Fairness. In keeping with an ethical use of AI, negotiations between all parties involved in screen projects should be consultative, with consent obtained from all relevant parties including all rightsholders. The remuneration and terms upon which screen practitioners may consent to the use of AI in relation to their content, likeness or performance must be fair.

Responsibility and accountability. Responsibility must be taken for any use of AI systems. This includes ensuring that the proposed use is informed, that there is sufficient governance and oversight with clear lines of accountability and that the applicable laws in New Zealand and other jurisdictions are upheld. Appropriate risk assessment, due diligence and security measures must be implemented, particularly in relation to the handling of data, intellectual property, and personal and confidential information. Processes should be put in place to continually test and challenge the use or outcomes of AI systems.

AI is a rapidly evolving area and as such, we are monitoring the developing landscape in New Zealand and elsewhere including Australia, the United Kingdom and Canada. In New Zealand, this includes the Public Service AI Framework, the Responsible AI Guidance for the Public Service: GenAI and the thought leadership of the AI Forum NZ, including in relation to AI governance.

The NZFC reserves the right to update these principles as new developments arise.