Inside Air New Zealand’s Bold AI Experiment
Our Guest: Mike Parsons
Image: Wired
Mike Parsons, Head of AI at Air New Zealand, is reshaping aviation through bold, human-centered AI.
From analyzing 30,000 in-flight meals to rolling out ChatGPT Enterprise across the airline, he’s proving that innovation can thrive in New Zealand’s skies.
With a career spanning Wall Street, analytics, and aviation, Mike brings rare leadership and a deep commitment to ethical, responsible AI.
“We don’t ask, ‘What can we do with AI?’ We ask, ‘What problems matter most, and can AI help?”
— Mike Parsons
About the Episode
In this episode of AI Across Borders, Dr. Ayesha Khanna sits down with Mike Parsons, Head of AI at Air New Zealand, the country’s national airline. Known for its culture of innovation and deep Māori values of guardianship, New Zealand is blending ethics, technology, and sustainability in ways few nations have attempted.
Together, they explore how a small island nation is using AI to transform aviation, from analyzing thousands of in-flight meals to rolling out ChatGPT Enterprise across the entire airline and what it means to build technology rooted in trust and care.
From Ice Hockey to Innovation
Before leading AI at Air New Zealand, Mike Parsons grew up in Calgary, Canada, where ice hockey was a way of life. As a goaltender, he learned resilience early: “If you make a mistake, the lights go on and everyone cheers,” he recalls. That ability to recover quickly and focus on the next challenge would later define his approach to leadership and technology.
After a stint on Wall Street, Parsons moved to New Zealand, drawn by its sense of purpose and community. He spent years working in analytics before joining Air New Zealand—first as a consultant, then as Head of AI. “It was the best job in the country,” he says. “A place where innovation really means something.”
Building an Airline Powered by AI
For Air New Zealand, AI isn’t a futuristic experiment, it’s already part of daily operations. Parsons’ team began by analyzing 30,000 photographs of meal trays to understand passenger preferences and reduce food waste. The results improved sustainability and customer satisfaction: less waste, happier flyers.
But the real breakthrough came with ChatGPT Enterprise. Air New Zealand became one of the first companies in the world to deploy it organization-wide, giving access to every employee with a laptop. More than 1,500 custom GPTs have since been created by staff across departments, from cargo to marketing to customer service, saving over 20,000 hours of work.
“We didn’t want AI to belong to one team,” says Parsons. “If you can talk or type, you can use it.” That inclusive philosophy has sparked bottom-up innovation, where even non-technical teams are building their own AI assistants. What some companies call “shadow IT,” Parsons affectionately calls “state-sponsored creativity.”
Ethics at 30,000 Feet
What sets Air New Zealand apart isn’t just its use of AI, it’s how it uses it. The company’s Responsible AI framework was built around Māori values of kaitiakitanga, or guardianship. That cultural foundation makes trust and transparency non-negotiable.
“In Māori culture, guardianship isn’t just about the land, it’s about stories, people, and history,” Parsons explains. “At Air New Zealand, that translates to being responsible with data, technology, and our customers’ trust.”
The airline’s governance process brings together cybersecurity, privacy, and data ethics teams for every AI project. High-risk operation, like aircraft maintenance are handled with strict oversight, while lower-risk areas are encouraged to experiment. “We’re the world’s safest airline,” Parsons says. “Safety doesn’t mean avoiding risk. It means managing it well.”
The Agile Edge
Air New Zealand is also the only airline in the world to fully adopt an agile way of working. Instead of traditional top-down departments, the company runs on small, mixed teams called “tribes” made up of people from different fields who work together on specific goals like improving cargo, customer loyalty, or data systems.
This structure has made AI adoption faster and more collaborative. “We don’t ask, ‘What can we do with AI?’ We ask, ‘What problems matter most, and can AI help?’” says Parsons. The approach ensures innovation is tied directly to value, solving real business challenges rather than chasing trends.
The Future of Flight
Parsons envisions an airline industry that’s more seamless, sustainable, and human-centered. In 2035, he predicts, travelers will experience faster check-ins, smarter logistics, and AI-powered customer service that feels personal, not invasive.
“We don’t want to lose the warmth,” he says. “Flying is about people connecting to each other, and to the world.”
At the same time, he sees a national opportunity: as larger countries race to build models, New Zealand can excel at using AI responsibly, a global example of how technology can reflect a society’s values, not just its ambitions.
A Love Letter to Humanity
Asked what keeps him inspired, Parsons doesn’t talk about data or automation. He talks about people. “The best part is when someone does something they didn’t think they could,” he says. “AI gives people that feeling of achievement.”
For Mike Parsons, and for New Zealand, innovation isn’t just about smarter machines. It’s about empowering humans to create, connect, and care whether on the ground or 30,000 feet in the air.
