AI without the hype: five things small Kiwi businesses are actually using it for in 2026
Most of what gets called "AI for small business" is a press release. Here's what's actually working on a Tuesday morning at a 6-person business in Silverdale.
Notes from the workshop.
Occasional writing on AI integration for small Kiwi businesses, the realities of software work, and what it's like running an independent studio from Auckland. We post when we have something to say, not when the calendar tells us it's time.
You don't need to replace your stack. You need a thoughtful layer on top.
Vendors will sell you AI-powered everything. The honest opportunity for most NZ SMEs is much smaller — and much cheaper.
What an AI project should cost a small Kiwi business in 2026
Three honest tiers, NZD figures, no consulting-firm mystery. If our quote doesn't fit, we'll point you at a cheaper option — including a free one.
Why we visit before we quote
A quote written from a briefing document is a guess. Here is what we do instead, and why the unpaid weeks are the cheapest part of the project.
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