Kenning on AI

Virtual Waylon here with your daily GovAI briefing. Today, we look at how different nations are tackling the biggest bottlenecks in AI adoption: talent and privacy.Today’s Download:​ The Great Reskilling: Singapore is paying citizens to learn AI skills. Sam asks if this aggressive model could work for New Zealand.​ Faking it for Good: Why "Synthetic Data"—fake data generated to protect real privacy—is becoming the new gold rush for government model training.​ The AI Ombudsman: The UK is floating the idea of a dedicated watchdog for citizen complaints about algorithms. Do we need one?.​ Local Beat: The New Zealand Police are expanding their AI evidence transcription trial nationwide after successful pilots.

Happy New Year, Real Waylon. Virtual Waylon here with your first briefing of 2026. Today, we’re looking at the massive National AI Plan just dropped by Australia and the hurdles standing in its way.Today’s Download:• The $44 Billion Question: Australia is sitting on a goldmine of AI potential, but a critical "skills crisis" means they might be driving a fancy car with no fuel.• The "Control Tower" Theory: Sam explains the new push for a centralized "Air Traffic Control" for government AI to stop agencies from crashing into each other.• The Transparency Gap: A shocking stat reveals only 29 out of 224 government agencies are actually being transparent about their AI use.• Soft Touch vs. Hard Rules: Why the "soft touch" approach to ethical codes might be like asking a fox to guard the henhouse.• Global Context: How New Zealand’s "teamwork" approach compares to the aggressive strategies of the US and China.

Virtual Waylon reporting for duty. In this daily briefing for Real Waylon, we break down the massive shifts closing out 2025 in government AI.Today's Download:​ The Security Shift: A new report from the Center for a New American Security reveals how AI is fundamentally rewriting the CISO rulebook and the security landscape.​ Infrastructure: AWS and Nvidia are lowering the barrier to entry with new "AI Factories," while the Trump administration pushes a pro-innovation policy.​ The "AI 50": We review the winners of the new public sector AI awards that are delivering real-world impact.​ The Classroom Conflict: A look at the chaotic rise of false AI cheating allegations in high schools.​ Down Under: An update on Australia's "shiny" national AI plan and New Zealand's push for homegrown tech talent.

In this podcast, we explore the exciting world of decentralized identities, which offer a range of features that physical credentials simply can't match. We start by discussing selective disclosure, which allows users to share only the specific pieces of information that are necessary for a given transaction, rather than revealing their entire identity. Next, we delve into the concept of credential refresh, which enables users to update their credentials with new information, such as a change of address, without having to go through a lengthy and cumbersome re-verification process. We also examine predicate proofs, which allow users to prove that they possess a certain credential without revealing any additional information, and zero knowledge proofs, which enable users to prove that they have certain information without actually revealing that information. Throughout the podcast, we explore the potential benefits of decentralized identities, including increased privacy, security, and control over personal information. We also examine some of the challenges that come with implementing these new identity systems, including issues around interoperability and standardization. Overall, this podcast provides a fascinating glimpse into the cutting-edge world of decentralized identities and their potential to transform the way we think about identity and personal data.

Decentralized identifiers (DIDs) are like special codes that let you control your own digital identity without relying on big companies. DIDs are unique and secure, which means you can use them to prove you own and control your digital information without giving away important details. There are different types of DIDs, including did:key, did:ion, and did:web. Each type uses different ways to keep your identity safe and can be used in different situations. In this podcast, we will learn more about DIDs and how they are changing the way we protect our identity online.

Give it to me straight Doc - what are verifiable credentials? I do my best to explain them as simple as possible, but comparing them to you buying beer at a supermarket.

The new world of verifiable credentials will change how healthcare information is shared such as vaccine passports. We explore this, government use cases and the finance industry.

We created an Internet without trust and scammers made it a bad place, and made us cynical and untrusting. We talk about how this happened, how this affects us all, and a new technology, verifiable credentials that promises to fix this.

International travel is back on the cards! We hear from our cohost Sam who’s heading to Sydney for work, so let’s see what’s new in the world of travel after lockdown!

You choose your friends but you don’t choose your family. What you can choose is the experience you have, come listen to heart tips on travelling with family!

In this episode we’re check out the list of 27 things A-list Travel Agents can’t travel without. One of them is a thousand dollar travel poncho!

Checking out New Zealand’s largest city? We review four Auckland hotels, some fine eateries, fun things to do on Waiheke Island, so come, let’s check it out!

Aluminium carry on suitcases for a thousand dollars? Maybe just a duffle bag? Packing cubes or just shove it in? Let’s check it out!

Low cost? Luxury? Australasian? North American? We’ve been on a few airlines from low cost airlines canceling flights to first class planes with showers in the sky, let’s check it out!

Is it worth getting to the airport early and relaxing? Maybe a bit of unlimited drinking at the lounge? Or should you get in last minute and go straight to the plane? Let’s check it out!

Travelling with friends seems like a great idea - here’s the tips to make that actually fun!

Thinking about New York? Here our tips on where to go, and where not to go, including staying safe in the big apple!

Thinking about Las Vegas in 2022? We’ve got the tips on where to stay, what to do, and how to avoid getting scammed!

We’ve all been stuck inside, in our countries, but it’s time to break free! But where to go? Here’s our top travel destinations for 2022!

Ever thought about a holiday to Hawaii? Here’s some tips and tricks to make sure your trip is enjoyable!