THE LOOKOUT

October 2026

Kia ora there,

Welcome to the October edition of The Lookout. 

This month, Aspen NZ brought together 70 senior leaders from government, intelligence, defence, business, technology and academia for the Aspen NZ Security Forum in Queenstown, a significant milestone for our growing Security Programme.

The discussions highlighted how closely New Zealand’s economic prosperity and national security are connected. From strategic competition in the Pacific to AI, defence capability and economic resilience, participants examined the choices, trade-offs and capabilities that will shape New Zealand’s future.

In this edition, we share six key themes from the Forum, alongside a reflection from Aspen NZ alumnus Alexander Plimmer on AI, leadership and human agency, following his participation in the Global Changemakers Workshop in India.

• Global Affairs: New Zealand's Security & The Choices We Cannot Avoid
  

• Connected Communities: AI, Leadership & Human Agency
• Upcoming Events: New Zealand Security Dialogues

We hope you enjoy this edition.

Ngā mihi - Christine and the Aspen Institute NZ team  

Global Affairs

New Zealand's Security & The Choices We Cannot Avoid

New Zealand faces a more contested international environment, where economic prosperity, national security and technological capability are increasingly connected. The choices ahead will require difficult trade-offs, including decisions about what the country needs to protect, develop and sustain.

At the Aspen NZ Security Forum, held in Queenstown on 16 October, a sold-out gathering of 70 senior leaders from across sectors came together to examine these challenges. Bringing a group of this calibre into one room created a unique opportunity to test assumptions, exchange perspectives and explore difficult questions about New Zealand’s future security.

Contributors included NZSIS Director-General Andrew Hampton, GCSB Director-General Andrew Clark and Reserve Bank Governor Dr Anna Breman, alongside international security experts, defence leaders and senior representatives from industry.

Discussions spanned Pacific security, AI and cyber threats, defence capability, research security and economic resilience. A recurring question was how New Zealand can protect its interests, while maintaining the international partnerships and openness on which its prosperity depends?

Research security brought this into focus, as Forum contributor Cortney Weinbaum explored how New Zealand can protect valuable intellectual property and sensitive technologies while preserving international scientific collaboration. Her presentation drew on a RAND report she co-authored, examining practical ways to identify and manage risks in research partnerships.

Aspen NZ Co-Patron Rt Hon Sir Don McKinnon, who delivered the opening and closing remarks, pointed to the “breadth and richness of the debate”. One contributor described it as the "most interesting gathering he had attended in New Zealand in recent years on defence, foreign policy and industry". Other participants praised the "relaxed, constructive environment and the opportunity to exchange views across sectors".

The Forum discussion summary draws together six themes and the questions they raise for New Zealand. Our media release also features reflections from Andrew Hampton, Dr Anna Breman and Christine Maiden Sharp.

The 2026 Forum marks an important milestone in Aspen NZ’s developing Security Programme. Looking to 2027, we are building a programme of New Zealand and international dialogues, alongside further initiatives to deepen engagement on the issues raised at the Forum.

We welcome organisations and individuals wishing to participate in or supporting the programme. Get in touch to discuss opportunities.

Connected Communities

AI, Leadership and Human Agency

Which decisions should we entrust to AI, and which must remain ours to make?

This was one of the key questions explored at the Global Changemakers Workshop in Hyderabad last month. In the second of two reflections from Aspen NZ’s scholarship recipients, Alexander Plimmer considers the implications of AI for leadership institutions, work and national security. The discussions looked beyond what AI can do to ask who benefits from its use and who bears the consequences when things go wrong. Alex reflects on how systems trained on data that doesn't represent everyone affected could reinforce existing inequalities, leaving the most vulnerable facing some of the greatest risks.

A recurring theme was the limit of what can be delegated to technology. AI can process information, identify patterns and generate predictions, but the ability to delegate a decision doesn't mean we can delegate responsibility for its consequences. As one moderator put it, “leadership requires real sacrifice, and you cannot delegate sacrifice.”

For Alex, the choices surrounding AI are ultimately questions of leadership: where it should be used, who should have access, and what safeguards are needed. While AI may increasingly inform our decisions, responsibility for the kind of future we want cannot be handed over to technology.

A big thank you to the Aspen Institute International Partners for making this scholarship opportunity possible for Alexander and Arne, and for supporting the participation of emerging leaders from all corners of the world in these important conversations.

Coming Up - Local

Global Affairs

NZ Security Dialogues 2027 

Trade, technology and critical infrastructure in a contested world

Building on the 2026 Aspen NZ Security Forum, our Security Dialogues will explore the connections between economic prosperity, and national security, including the challenges facing New Zealand in trade, energy, technology, critical infrastructure and social cohesion. 

These discussions bring together leaders from business, government and across society for candid, cross-sector discussion under Chatham House Rule.

Interested in participating or supporting a dialogue?

Evidence & Values Based Decision Making

EVBDM is an immersive course for enhancing decision making skills using real-world evidence and stakeholder values. It equips participants with a simple framework, which provides a systematic approach for complex situations, to improve decision outcomes and mitigate the risk of costly bad decisions. 

Coming Up - Global

Global Impact Forum

Aspen UK

Cambridge

15 - 18 Nov

Aspen Cyber Summit

Aspen US

Washington DC

18 Nov

Work & the Social Contract in the Age of AI: Where do we go from here?

Online (Free)

19 Nov

Our work depends on thoughtful leadership across sectors.

If you are interested in contributing to or participating in this year’s programme, please get in touch.