Event at a glance
12 February 2027
Venue: Novotel Auckland Airport
Organiser: Young Kiwis in AI
What this conference is
YKIA National Conference 2027 is New Zealand’s first national conference for young people building projects and careers in artificial intelligence. Young Kiwis in AI brings students, graduates and early-career AI builders together for one in-person day of keynotes, practical conversations, mentoring and professional connections.
Event at a glance
12 February 2027
Friday, a full day from 8:30am to 5:00pm in Auckland time (Pacific/Auckland).
Auckland
Novotel Auckland Airport, steps from the international terminal.
200+ attendees
The organiser plans to bring together more than 200 students, graduates and early-career builders.
In person
One room for keynotes, talks, panels, the showcase, mentor tables, partner stands and networking.
What the day includes
Keynotes and talks
Opening and closing keynotes, plus short talks from people working with AI in companies and projects.
Panels
A conversation about the skills AI employers actually want and how large New Zealand businesses use artificial intelligence.
Young builders showcase
Five young builders will present what they have made, with five minutes each before lunch.
Mentor tables
Small-group conversations in two tracks: building something of your own or getting hired. Attendees choose a track and rotate.
Meet the companies
Partner stands offer conversations with teams hiring and building AI in New Zealand.
Networking
Long breaks, lunch together and networking drinks from 5:00pm.
Who will be there
The core audience is students, graduates and early-career AI builders from across New Zealand. The speaker line-up is still being confirmed; the organiser says waitlist members will hear the names first. The official sponsorship page already confirms Brodie Dye (ZURU) and Georgia Singleton (Trade Me) for the panel on AI inside large New Zealand businesses.
Who it is for
The conference is for young and curious people learning AI, building first projects, looking for a team or mentor, or taking their next career step. No prior experience is required; the official site specifically welcomes students, graduates, early-career builders and people already shipping projects.
How to attend
Open the official conference page
Visit the YKIA National Conference 2027 page and check the current registration status.
Join the waitlist
Ticket registration is not open yet, but the free waitlist is available now.
Wait for ticket updates
The organiser will notify waitlist members when registration opens and when more programme names are confirmed.
For companies and partners
Organisations have a separate sponsorship route. The official page lists four support tiers — Founding Partner, Talent Partner, Supporting Partner and Community Supporter — plus a Student Fly-In Fund and in-kind support. Prices are listed in NZD plus GST, with availability subject to confirmation order.
The conference
Date, venue, day format and the Join the waitlist form.
Open conference page ↗Young Kiwis in AI
The official community page and its audience, mission and activities.
Open organisation site ↗Events calendar
Other meetups and the context around YKIA’s national conference.
Open events calendar ↗Sponsorship
Confirmed panel participants, support tiers and partner conditions.
Open sponsorship page ↗Next step
Ticket registration is not open yet; the official site currently accepts free waitlist sign-ups.
Official sources
https://www.youngkiwisai.nz/conference
Details were checked against the organiser’s official materials.