This policy describes how newzealand-finance.nz uses artificial intelligence (AI) in producing its content. We write about money, where a wrong figure can cost a reader real dollars, so we want to be open about which parts of our work involve AI tools and which parts are always done by a person.
Last updated: October 2026.
Why we have an AI policy
AI tools are now a normal part of publishing, and readers have a right to know when they are used. Finance is also an area where AI tools make confident mistakes: they can quote an outdated tax threshold, mix up New Zealand rules with Australian or British ones, or invent a fee that no lender charges. This policy explains how we get the benefit of the tools without passing those mistakes on to you.
How we use AI
Research and planning
We use AI tools to help outline guides, summarise long source documents and identify the questions readers are likely to have about a topic. The tools point us towards material. They are not treated as a source in themselves.
Drafting and editing
AI tools may be used to produce a first draft of a section, to restructure a guide so it is easier to follow, or to suggest plainer wording for a technical explanation. An editor then rewrites, cuts and corrects the draft.
Language and consistency checks
We use AI tools to catch spelling and grammar errors, inconsistent terminology and unclear sentences, in the same way a writer might use a spelling checker.
Images
Where an image or illustration on the site has been created with an AI tool, it is illustrative only. It does not depict a real person, document or event.
What AI does not do
- It does not decide the facts. Interest rates, fees, tax brackets, KiwiSaver rules, wage rates and eligibility criteria are checked by a person against the primary source before publication.
- It does not give advice. No AI tool on this site assesses your circumstances or recommends a product to you. Our content is general information.
- It does not set our editorial opinions. Assessments of providers and products are made by the editorial team.
- It does not handle your personal information. We do not feed reader emails or any other personal information into AI tools.
Human review and responsibility
Every guide is reviewed by an editor before it goes live. That review covers three things: whether the figures match the current primary source, whether the content reflects New Zealand law and practice, and whether the guide is clear and balanced.
Our primary sources include Inland Revenue, the Reserve Bank of New Zealand, the Financial Markets Authority, Work and Income, the Commerce Commission and the published terms of the banks, lenders and insurers we write about.
Responsibility for what appears on the site rests with the editorial team, however the first draft was produced. If something is wrong, that is our error, and it is ours to fix.
Accuracy and limitations
Human review reduces mistakes but does not remove them. Financial information also dates quickly: a rate that was correct when a guide was checked may have changed by the time you read it.
For that reason, always confirm current rates, fees and conditions directly with the provider or the relevant government agency before you make a decision, and consider speaking to a licensed financial adviser about your own situation. Our terms of use explain the limits of the information on the site.
AI and your personal information
We do not use AI tools to profile visitors or to make automated decisions about anyone. How we handle the limited personal information we do receive is set out in our privacy policy.
Corrections and feedback
If you find an error in one of our guides, or have a question about how a particular page was produced, please tell us through the contact page. A link to the page and the detail you think is wrong helps us check it quickly.
Changes to this policy
AI tools and the way publishers use them are changing quickly. We will revise this policy when our practice changes, and the date at the top of the page shows the latest revision. You can read more about the people behind the site and how we work on our About us page.
