media

See my bio for media here: bio.

Full-length op-ed/articles

1. "NZ's approach to AI continues to favour slop over substance". In RNZ, 14^th May 2026. link
2. "Could NZ's next Christchurch Call be a push for fairer, safer AI?". In The Conversation, 7^th April 2026. link, also re-published interest.co.nz
3. "AI is already creeping into election campaigns. NZ’s rules aren’t ready". In The Conversation, 2^nd March 2026. link, also re-published RNZ, 1News, and the Otago Daily Times.
4. "Sexualised deepfakes on X are a sign of things to come. NZ law is already way behind". In The Conversation, 20^th January 2026. link, also re-published RNZ and 1News
5. "AI has now started creating TikTok-like videos --- be afraid". In the Sunday Star Times, 26^th October 2025. link non-paywall
6. "NZ’s new AI strategy is long on ‘economic opportunity’ but short on managing ethical and social risk". In The Conversation, 11^th July 2025. link, also re-published RNZ
7. "I’m a senior lecturer in AI and these are my worries about the technology" (NB: my original title was: "AI: For Who?"). In The Post, 1^st July 2025. link non-paywall
8. "Andrew Lensen: Judith Collins has all but ruled out AI regulation. That scares me". In NZ Herald, 3^rd August 2024. link non-paywall
9. "AI: Behind the Buzzword". In Safeguard Magazine, March/April 2024, Issue 198. link
10. "Opinion: AI is already taking NZ jobs — what needs to be done". In NZ Herald, 31^st March 2024. link non-paywall
11. "NZ's political leaders are ignoring the mounting threats from AI — and that’s putting everyone at risk" In The Conversation, 5^th October 2023. link
12. "We built an algorithm that predicts the length of court sentences — could AI play a role in the justice system?". In The Conversation, 30^th November 2022. link

Interviewed for (TV)

1. "AI agents and regulation". TVNZ BNZ Business Breakfast, 19^th June 2026. link
2. "Students challenging AI with their concerns". TVNZ Seven Sharp, 18^th June 2026. link
3. "AI, young people, and regulation". TVNZ 1News, 18^th June 2026. link
4. "What AI said to Kiwi students in confronting chat about future". TVNZ InDepth, 18^th June 2026. link
5. "Willis wields the axe: Plan to slash 9000 public service jobs". ThreeNews, 19^th May 2026. link
6. "NVIDIA's Record Revenue and the Implications for AI and the Market". TVNZ Breakfast, 21^st November 2025. link
7. Open Letter calling for AI Regulation. TVNZ Breakfast, 1^st September 2025.
8. "Q+A: Why it’s healthy to be sceptical of artificial intelligence". Q+A with Jack Tame, TVNZ. 24^th August 2025. link
9. "Gareth Morgan deep fake: How to spot it's not real". Herald NOW, 20^th August 2025. link
10. NZ's New AI Strategy. TVNZ One News, 9^th July 2025.
11. "Increasing Difficulty in Distinguishing Real from AI-generated Images". TVNZ Breakfast, 25^th June 2025. link
12. "Fresh drama in Silicon Valley over new AI firm". Newshub, 20^th June 2024. link
13. "AI video generation is advancing rapidly, unlocking creativity but also raising urgent concerns". Newshub, 17^th June 2024. link

Interviewed for (print/online)

1. "'We cannot revisit this issue after companies have built whatever they want, wherever they want, and try and then re-open negotiations. This is our time to decide what AI looks like here in Australia,' says Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese" in interest.co.nz, 17^th July 2026. link
2. "The Kiwi jobs at highest risk of AI automation" in Stuff, 16^th July 2026. link
3. "Australia's move to set up AI office 'kick up the bum' for New Zealand leaders - expert" in RNZ, 16^th July 2026. link and in the Otago Daily Times.
4. "Australia’s big move on AI: How do we compare? - Tech Insider" in NZ Herald, 16^th July 2026. link
5. "Doctors adopting AI faster than rules can keep up" in Newsroom, 16^th July 2026. link
6. "Huffer's forensic report doesn't settle model likeness claims, say experts" in The Post, 10^th July 2026. link
7. "Explainer: How to prevent your Instagram images from being used for AI" and "'Missed the mark': Meta removes AI feature on Instagram after global backlash" in RNZ, 9^th and 11^th July 2026. link link 2
8. "Pest control report cites fake papers, relying on ChatGPT hallucinations" in Newsroom, 9^th July 2026. link
9. "AI threat in ‘months, not years’, Five Eyes says but expert sees triumph of Anthropic’s pre-IPO marketing hype" in NZ Herald, 23^th June 2026. link
10. "'After talking to AI, I feel worse' - students' fears for the future" in 1News, 18^th June 2026. link
11. "Experts warn over ‘light-touch’ approach in Seymour’s new AI plan" in BusinessDesk, 11^th June 2026. link
12. "The horse has bolted: Why one New Zealand policy has already lost the race" in Stuff, 27^th May 2026. link
13. "Death by 8700 cuts: Can Wellington survive the great public service cull?" in the Sunday Star Times, 24^th May 2026. link
14. "Slashing public sector jobs the right move, New Zealand Initiative says" NB: despite the misleading headline, I was commenting an opposing view! in RNZ, 19^th May 2026. link
15. "NZ firms warned overseas businesses aren’t getting a return on AI – MPs’ report" in Newsroom, 5^th May 2026. link
16. "Timaru cafe inundated with calls after AI tool lists phone number for hospital" in RNZ, 15^th April 2026. link, also in 1News, ODT, and others.
17. "Microsoft Copilot free version terms raise eyebrows, but experts say they’re industry standard" in The Herald, 2^nd April 2026. link
18. "Jobseekers and advocates disturbed as companies screen applications with AI" in RNZ, 27^th March 2026. link
19. "The dangers of a little too much chat with AI bots" in The Post, 14^th March 2026. link
20. " New Zealand is losing faith in the internet" in Newsroom, 9^th March 2026. link
21. "Editorial: News you can trust" in Otago Daily Times, 20^th February 2026. link
22. "One worker’s had a $120k career ruined. Another is just starting out. They’re both at the mercy of AI" in Stuff, 19^th February 2026. link
23. "New rules needed to curb political ‘AI arms race’, expert warns." in Newsroom, 13^th February 2026. link
24. "How fake NZ news pages are swamping Facebook with AI slop". In RNZ, The Herald, 9^th February 2026. rnz herald
25. "AI-generated 'news' pages on social media misleading thousands of Kiwis". In 1News, 9^th February 2026. link
26. "NZ 'media outlet' misrepresents news with AI images and video". In AAP FactCheck, 5^th February 2026. link
27. "Expert sounds alarm over lack of formal AI policy in Cook Islands Government". In Cook Island News, 4^th February 2026. link
28. "Officials' warnings after AI images of Mt Maunganui slip spread online". In RNZ, Whanganui Chronicle, NZ Herald, 27^th January 2026. rnz herald
29. "Victoria University breaks into global top 50 for artificial intelligence". In The Post, Waikato Times, 27^th January 2026. link
30. "Five years, one border: Scrolling my way out of America". In Sunday Star-Times, 21^st December 2025. link
31. "Forty Names For Kākā". In NZ Geographic, Jan--Feb 2026 Issue 197. link
32. "Canaries in the code mine: what AI is doing to first jobs for Generation Z". In BusinessDesk, 10^th December 2025. link
33. "Ministry privacy breach sees the names of five people seeking compensation for sexual abuse published". In RNZ, 25^th November 2025. link
34. "A disappearing news site and an AI cautionary tale". In The Post, 15^th November 2025. link
35. "Politicians are happy to use AI. Are they willing to regulate it?". In The Spinoff, 4^th November 2025. link
36. "How would a move to criminalise pornographic deepfakes in New Zealand work?". In RNZ, 4^th November 2025. link
37. "Do we need to be saying 'please' and 'thanks' to AI?". In RNZ, 22^nd October 2025. link
38. "Deloitte Australia's AI scandal and the 'canary' in the consulting coal mine". In BusinessDesk, 9^th October 2025. link
39. "Our Changing World: Putting AI to use in Aotearoa". In RNZ, 7^th October 2025. link
40. "AI job impact grows: 14% of business decision-makers cite AI in job losses". In NZ Herald, 28^th August 2025. link
41. "‘One slip and you’re guilty’: University’s unusual AI crackdown rattles students". In Stuff, 26^th August 2025. link
42. "Kiwis in the dark over Instagram, Facebook account suspensions". In RNZ, 22^nd August 2025. link
43. "Behind the AI hype: Hidden risks, rising costs and execution failures". In BusinessDesk, 14^th August 2025. link
44. "Privacy commissioner flags risks in new AI strategy". In Newsroom, 11^th August 2025. link
45. "Ministry feared costs of $60m a year to review laws under Regulatory Standards Bill". In RNZ, 17^th July 2025. link
46. "Govt’s “nothing burger” AI strategy short on new policy & investment". In Pulse+IT, 10^th July 2025. link
47. "Government's national AI plan met with enthusiasm, concern". In the Otago Daily Times, 9^th July 2025.
48. "Government’s AI strategy criticised for lack of detail, timelines". In NZ Herald, 9^th July 2025. link
49. "Government unveils its first-ever national artificial intelligence strategy". In RNZ, 8^th July 2025. link
50. "Anthropic study reveals AI agents could go rogue, resort to blackmail or corporate espionage if threatened with shutdown". In NZ Herald, 27^th June 2025. link
51. "How to tell if an image or video has been created by AI - and if we still can". In RNZ, 24^th June 2025. link
52. "‘It was real to me’: The AI therapist will see you now". In Sunday Star-Times, The Post, The Press, 15^th June 2025. link
53. "City councillor 'stunned' at deepfake shooting video". In Nelson Mail, The Press, 10^th June 2025. link.
54. "Off-the-shelf AI leading the way". In BusinessDesk, 2^nd April 2025. link
55. "Many public servants using AI off their own bat, but few trained - experts raise red flags". In NZ Herald, 15^th April 2025. link
56. "Is Tiktok a national security risk? What you need to know". In RNZ, 8^th February 2025. link
57. "NZ MPs get behind-the-scenes DeepSeek warning". In NZ Herald, 7^th February 2025. link
58. "DeepSeek breakthrough raises AI energy questions". Agence France-Press (AFP) news agency, syndicated worldwide, 28^th January 2025. example link
59. "'Believe Nothing': The impossible challenge of a post-facts world". In Sunday Star-Times, The Post, The Press, 26^th January 2025. link
60. "Apple Intelligence launches in NZ today - why experts say it has a privacy advantage over rivals". In NZ Herald, 12^th December 2024. link
61. "Artificial intelligence degrees in demand at New Zealand Universities". In Newstalk ZB, 26^th November 2024. link
62. "Sick of AI hype? I have some bad news". In Vox, 18^th October 2024. link
63. "Did the physics Nobel committee get swept up in the AI hype?". In Cosmos Magazine, 10^th October 2024. link
64. "AI could take thousands of call centre jobs at ASB’s Australian parent. How about here?". In NZ Herald, 18^th September 2024. link
65. "How artificial intelligence may help NZ birds". In RNZ, Stuff, 1News, Print Regional Newspapers, 15^th September 2024. rnz stuff 1News
66. "AI isn’t killing jobs yet, it’s reducing hiring needs". In BusinessDesk, 5^th September 2024. link
67. "Tech industry offers AI solution to NZ's productivity problem". In Newsroom, 6^th August 2024. link
68. "AI is already straining electricity systems — and we’re just at the beginning". In The Spinoff, 31^st July 2024. link
69. "New AI video tech: 'It brings a lot of things into question'". In RNZ, 19^th June 2024. link
70. "AI revolution: Why the speed of human job losses is causing concern". In NZ Herald, 28^th March 2024. link
71. "'Unauthorised': NZ authors’ books used to train big tech AI". In NZ Herald, 16^th November 2023. link
72. "How is AI affecting the election?". In The Post, 6^th October 2023. link
73. "10 ways AI is making life better". In Your Weekend, 30^th September 2023. link
74. "Political parties must outline AI strategy, regulation — tech industry". In RNZ, 4^th September 2023. link
75. "ScamGPT: Hackers and criminals are harnessing the power of AI". In The New Daily (AU), 20^th July 2023. link
76. "Purpose-built facial recognition software aims to identify individual kākā". In The Dominion Post, 5^th November 2021. link

Interviewed for (live radio/podcast)

1. "Australia to open an Office of AI". On RNZ Midday Report, 15^th July 2026. link
2. "Is AI the answer to a leaner public service?". On RNZ Checkpoint, 19^th May 2026. link
3. "What AI could mean for cyber security". On RNZ Midday Report, 9^th April 2026. link
4. "Find out how AI is helping identify bird song". On RNZ Afternoons, 17^th November 2025. link
5. "Being Kind to AI". On RNZ The Panel, 23^rd October 2025. link
6. "Putting AI to use in Aotearoa". On Our Changing World, RNZ, 6^th October 2025. link
7. "Expert says NZ could stand out in AI by focusing on trust and values". On The Front Page, NZ Herald, 6^th October 2025. link
8. "AI regulation: Is New Zealand falling behind?". On The Sunday Session, Newstalk ZB, 5^th October 2025. link
9. "Experts send open letter to govt calling for better AI regulation". On Morning Report, RNZ, 2^nd September 2025. link
10. "Academic warns over using AI to reduce costs of Regulatory Standards Bill". On Midday Report, RNZ, 17^th July 2025. link
11. "Government launches new AI strategy". On Nights, RNZ, 8^th July 2025. link
12. "AI business managers 'optimistic still' after Project Vend". On Midday Report, RNZ, 7^th July 2025. link
13. "Episode 11 - Dr Andrew Lensen for AI!". On Guest Lecture (Podcast), Salient, 26^th May 2025. podcast
14. "Research, ethics, and artificial intelligence". On The Detail, RNZ, 16^th May 2025. podcast article
15. "Water, AI & the craic – Your questions answered". On Living Planet, Deutsche Welle (DW), 28^th February 2025. link
16. "Interest in AI degree grows amid rapid tech developments". On The Mike Hosking Breakfast, Newstalk ZB, 26^th November 2024. link
17. "What is Artificial Intelligence?". On the Smooth Brain Society (Podcast), 19^th October 2023. link
18. "Missing from the Campaign trail: AI in New Zealand". On Radio One 91FM, 9^th October 2023. link
19. "Andrew Lensen: AI lecturer says social media platforms work to keep users engaged". On The Mike Hosking Breakfast, Newstalk ZB, 28^th July 2023. link
20. "AI and the Justice System". On RNZ The Panel, 5^th December 2022. link
21. "AI and the Justice System". On ABC Canberra (AU), 5^th December 2022.

Other expert opinion/comment/mentions

1. "Should NZ copy Australia’s ‘Office of AI’? – Expert Reaction". Science Media Centre, 16^th July 2026. link
2. Our open letter discussed in "You can trace NZ’s lack of AI regulation back to Flight of the Conchords". In The Spinoff, 10^th February 2026. link
3. "“Bad behaviour” begets “bad behaviour” in AI – Expert Reaction". Science Media Centre, 15^th January 2026. link
4. "First-ever research conference led by AI – Expert Reaction". Science Media Centre, 20^th October 2025. link
5. Our open letter discussed in "Call for greater protection from AI harms gains support". In The Press, 8^th September 2025. link
6. Our open letter discussed in "Unregulated intelligence: NZ’s AI crossroads". In BusinessDesk, 3^rd September 2025. link
7. "Small business owners 'blindsided' by Meta banning accounts". On Morning Report, RNZ, 22^nd August 2025. link
8. NZ's New AI Strategy. Mediaworks Bulletins, 8^th July 2025.
9. NZ's New AI Strategy. Newstalk ZB/NZME Bulletins, 8^th July 2025.
10. NZ's New AI Strategy. Radio New Zealand Bulletins, 8^th July 2025.
11. AI for Pharmac and Medsafe. Mediaworks Bulletins, 2^nd July 2025.
12. AI and Employment/Career Ladder Gaps. Newstalk ZB/NZME Morning Bulletins, 20^th June 2025.
13. Fact Check on "Trump 'cokehead' attack on Zelenskiy is a deepfake". AAP FactCheck, 5^th June 2025. link
14. "GovGPT legacy and private offerings". Newstalk ZB/NZME Morning Bulletins, April 2025.
15. Fact Check on "Altered Trump videos used to push fake Golden Eagles investment scheme". AAP FactCheck, 30^th December 2024. link
16. Fact Check on "Deepfake or cheapfake? Video making false allegations against Walz goes viral". AAP FactCheck, 29^th October 2024. link
17. Fact Check on "Fake Kamala Harris ad promotes insurance, not abortion rights". AAP FactCheck, 8^th October 2024. link
18. "GovGPT". Newstalk ZB/NZME Morning Bulletins, 13^th September 2024.
19. "AI and Mental Health". Newstalk ZB/NZME Morning Bulletins, 11^th April 2024.
20. "AI Safety Summit in the UK — Expert Reaction". Science Media Centre, 1^st November 2023. link
21. "Tech experts call for parties to announce AI strategy". On RNZ, 4^th September 2023. link
22. "The impact of Meta's algorithms during the 2020 US election — Expert Reaction". Science Media Centre, 28^th July 2023. link