This is the second of a four-part series covering how local government leaders are putting AI to practical use in New Zealand. Click for part one.

As artificial intelligence reshapes how organizations operate, Palmerston North City Council (PNCC) in New Zealand is taking a unique approach. Instead of focusing on technology first, they are putting people at the center. Their AI learning platform, MarvinAI, is designed to ensure every staff member has the confidence, capability, and curiosity to thrive in an AI-enabled world. 

MarvinAI emerged from the belief that digital transformation only succeeds when people feel empowered, not overwhelmed. PNCC recognized early on that AI’s rapid evolution risked leaving parts of the workforce behind. Rather than allowing fear or uncertainty to dictate the pace of change, the council chose to create a safe space where staff could explore, learn, and experiment. MarvinAI became the environment purpose-built to augment people, not replace them, and to build the skills that future public service will require.

Developed through a collaboration between PNCC’s People and Capability Team and their Technology Team, the platform represents a deliberate shift away from traditional, top-down training. Instead, the council adopted a curated and collaborative approach, co-designing learning pathways with academyEX, an Auckland-based workforce training organization, and building the platform with local technology partner Nodero. This model blends digital learning principles with the psychology of play, making the experience fun, contextual, and unintimidating. The goal was to help staff learn with curiosity, not compliance. The results have shown that learning becomes transformative when it’s done with people, not to them.

Three principles underpin the entire platform: 

1. Learn through play.
2. Apply responsibly.
3. Share ideas.

These principles are reflected in MarvinAI’s structure. In learning through play, they note that the system is designed as a playground for hands-on experimentation. The library of tools, prompts, and guidelines helps staff members apply concepts responsibility. The structure also consists of a community space where staff share use cases, challenges, and discoveries. Local-government-specific courses and learning badges make the content both relevant and motivating, allowing staff to progress at their own pace without pressure. The response has been overwhelmingly positive. Thousands of interactions and over 500 completed learning modules show that engagement is not just strong but accelerating. Staff who once felt cautious about AI now describe it as energizing, confidence-building, and even fun. 

Some of the most compelling success stories have come from unexpected areas. A regulatory planner built consent-processing prototypes and change managers have created custom GPT-style assistants to streamline complex workflows. Across the organization, staff report gains in productivity, creativity, and well-being.

Well-being has become a central theme in PNCC’s AI journey. While efficiency gains still matter, the council increasingly views AI as a tool that improves the root causes of employee stress by reducing tedious or repetitive work. Survey data shows rising morale, cultural optimism, and confidence in the potential for AI to improve workplace experience. PNCC now compares the cost of AI tools not only against productivity outcomes but also against traditional well-being initiatives. 

Participation has grown organically because MarvinAI emphasizes encouragement over enforcement. The playful learning model lowers defenses, while practical knowledge helps staff imagine new ways of working. Once people experience success, they share it with others. Peer-driven momentum has become one of the platform’s greatest strengths. Departments now learn from one another, adapting ideas and co-creating improvements. This spirit of collaboration is spreading beyond PNCC as well with more than a dozen councils across New Zealand trialing the platform, exploring shared development opportunities, and developing cross-council learning networks that ultimately deliver better outcomes for citizens across New Zealand. 

“Leadership has played an essential role by modeling curiosity, encouraging responsible experimentation, and embedding AI capability across the employee lifecycle. This ensures AI literacy is not a stand-alone initiative but an integrated component of PNCC’s long-term digital transformation,” says Sarah McNie, people and capability partner, PNCC, who co leads their AI strategy.

Looking ahead, PNCC plans to expand MarvinAI with advanced courses, additional tools, and deeper collaboration with other councils. PNCC’s vision is ambitious. They hope to create an AI learning ecosystem that continuously evolves through shared insights, experimentation, and community. MarvinAI is proving that public sector AI transformation works best when it prioritizes people by helping them feel confident, creative, and connected in a rapidly changing world.

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