Meet Āwhina, the council’s new online helping hand

Far North District Council is introducing an AI virtual online helper called Āwhina which will give residents a new way to quickly get information on council activities and services at any time of the day.

Āwhina – which means to help, assist and support – will answer common questions using verified information published on the council website. It is designed to quickly provide answers to common and basic enquiries, allowing the council’s contact centre staff to spend more time responding to complex or sensitive enquiries. The goal is to support the council’s customer service team – not replace it.

The online helper will use only information from the council’s website. It does not search the wider internet or use outside sources, and operates within the council’s own systems, keeping the council in control of the information it provides.

Āwhina works mainly in English but also has some capability to interpret and respond in te reo Māori. Like any online AI tool, Āwhina will never be perfect. If in doubt about responses provided by Āwhina, residents still have the option of calling the council directly - and talk with a contact centre staff member based in the Far North.

To meet Āwhina or get in touch with the council, visit fndc.govt.nz from Monday 31 August.