What is an AI Maturity Spectrum?
Think of it as a staged framework that outlines how a superannuation provider can evolve its AI capability, from basic experimentation to AI driving core operations. It covers not just the tech, but also the data, governance, and organisational processes needed at each stage.
Why it matters
Adopting AI isn’t about chasing trends. For KiwiSaver providers, it’s about addressing real challenges, including unscalable manual processes, rising service expectations, compliance pressures, and expanding member bases. The AI maturity spectrum helps you:
- Identify where you are now
- Pinpoint what’s realistically achievable next
- Align leadership, operations, and compliance on a shared path forward
How you can use it
- Diagnose your current stage of AI readiness
- Prioritise your next steps based on organisational capacity, not hype
- Guide vendor conversations by matching their solution to your level of maturity
- Build alignment across tech, operations, and risk teams
The seven levels of maturity (at a glance)
- Level 0: Exploring AI Tools: Playing with ChatGPT or Copilot, with no formal structure. The goal is awareness.
- Level 1 – AI-Curious, No Infrastructure: Early signs of interest. You might deploy an internal assistant or FAQ tool with no system integration.
- Level 2 – Siloed Knowledge: You’ve centralised documents and created structure. AI can now support internal teams with reliable responses.
- Level 3 – Process-Aware: You’ve got governance, APIs, and clean data. AI is automating form validation and supporting customer-facing workflows.
- Level 4 – Data-Informed Engagement: AI delivers personalised guidance at key member moments, with compliant messaging and clear triggers for action.
- Level 5 – Systems Connected: AI is connected across systems and reacts to real-time signals. Engagement shifts from reactive to proactive.
- Level 6 – AI as Core Infrastructure: AI runs complete workflows end-to-end. It’s embedded across the member lifecycle and delivers scalable, auditable automation.
What about AI-Powered advice?
AI absolutely can be used to deliver regulated financial advice. However, it isn’t included in the maturity model since the decision to offer advice is less about technical maturity and more about business intent and governance.
The AI maturity model outlines the foundational capabilities required to use AI effectively across operations and engagement. The point at which AI starts delivering highly personalised guidance marks the natural point at which it can evolve into advice, if the organisation chooses to go that way.
Whether a superannuation provider adopts AI for advice depends on strategic direction, licensing, and compliance frameworks. So while AI-powered advice is possible, and increasingly practical, it sits at the intersection of maturity and organisational decision-making. This is why it’s not shown as a default outcome, but rather as a deliberate path that providers may opt into.
A final thought
AI maturity isn’t about how many models you’ve deployed. It’s about how well AI is integrated into your operations, how responsibly it’s governed, and how meaningfully it serves your members.
This spectrum is here to help you make that journey, one step at a time.
