E tū is calling members by phone to help make sure they are correctly enrolled to vote in this year’s general election. Some of those calls are being made by a digital agent, which uses artificial intelligence to have a real conversation with the member at the other end of the line.
Voter enrolment matters more than usual this year. The government has changed the rules so people can no longer enrol or update their details during the voting period. If a member’s details are not up to date by the deadline, they cannot vote. Our job is to make sure E tū members are not caught out.
Why we are using a digital agent
E tū has nearly 50,000 members. Calling that many people to check their enrolment details is not something we can do with staff and volunteers alone. We have used automated calling before for surveys and similar tasks. The difference this time is that the digital agent can hold an actual conversation, answer questions, and tailor information to each member’s situation, rather than reading from a script.
The digital agent is working
Hundreds of members have already been called. They have confirmed their details, updated them, or enrolled for the first time. That means more E tū members will have their say in November, and fewer will be turned away at the last minute because of an outdated address or a missed deadline.
Your data is secure
E tū holds member data carefully and to a high standard, in line with our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. The information collected through the digital agent is not shared with any third party, and it is not used to train any external AI system. Some people worry that artificial intelligence tools learn from personal data and pass it on elsewhere. That is not what is happening here. E tū remains the sole holder of the information collected through these calls.
This is not replacing union work
The digital agent is not a replacement for organising, for political volunteering, or for the conversations members and delegates have with one another about the world we want to build. It cannot do any of that, and it is not meant to. What it can do is take a straightforward administrative task, getting tens of thousands of members enrolled correctly to vote, and ensure it happens.
As unionists, we know that real conversations between people are how we organise our workplaces and build collective power. The digital agent supports that work, so our organisers and delegates can focus on what only they can do.
An ethical approach to new technology
AI tools are being rolled out everywhere, and not always responsibly. E tū is using this technology in a way that is consistent with our values, with the approach led by the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions and with the direction set by our member-led National Executive.
We will continue to review how we use these tools as they develop, with democratic oversight and accountability throughout.