Possums, rats and stoats beware - a new Artificial Intelligence trap is being added to New Zealand's predator-free campaign.

Designed by Critter Solutions, the device only triggers when it identifies a pest to keep inquisitive native birds safe.

They're being trialled in Auckland and Coromandel, supported by funding from the Government's Jobs for Nature Initiative.

Project lead Doctor Helen Blackie says the user is notified when the trap triggers, what species was caught and when it resets.

New Zealand has less than 10,000 days to reach its goal of eradicating pests by 2050.

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Possums, rats and stoats beware - a new Artificial Intelligence trap is being added to New Zealand's predator-free campaign.
Designed by Critter Solutions, the device only triggers when it identifies a pest to keep inquisitive native birds safe.
They're being trialled in Auckland and Coromandel, supported by funding from the Government's Jobs for Nature Initiative.
Project lead Doctor Helen Blackie says the user is notified when the trap triggers, what species was caught and when it resets.
New Zealand has less than 10,000 days to reach its goal of eradicating pests by 2050.
LISTEN ABOVE

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Open your mind to the world with New Zealand’s number one breakfast radio show. Without question, as New Zealand’s number one talk host, Mike Hosking sets the day’s agenda. The sharpest voice and mind in the business, Mike drives strong opinion, delivers the best talent, and always leaves you wanting more. The Mike Hosking Breakfast always cuts through and delivers the best daily on Newstalk ZB.

Open your mind to the world with New Zealand’s number one breakfast radio show.Without question, as New Zealand’s number one talk host, Mike Hosking sets the day’s agenda.The sharpest voice and mind in the business, Mike drives strong opinion,...

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Doctor Helen Blackie: Project lead on new Artificial Intelligence trap being added to New Zealand's predator-free campaign

I'm pretty sure AI isn't going to wipe us out. 

AI is another of those technologies or gains we make that has the capability to do a lot if left unchecked. 

But the key to all of this, as it has been with so many things before from the musket to the nuclear weapon, is self-interest. 

Ultimately, we don’t actually have any desire to wipe ourselves out, given if we did, we would have and could have a long time ago. 

I suspect the AI alarmism is driven by the fact people, especially the media, love to spread alarm and a lot of us don’t actually know much about AI. 

If someone tells us an army is coming and it's a robot army and there is nothing we can do about it, then a lot of us not applying logic or knowing any better will freak out. 

This bloke Jacob Coxon seems to the casual observer to be a couple of things: 

1) 27-years-old. It's never really a good thing to believe everything a 27-year-old spouts. 

2) A bloke with quite a keen interest in TV appearances. He was doing the circuit over the weekend and in my experience people who like being interviewed frequently have ulterior motives. 

This isn't to say he hasn’t seen a lot of weird stuff at the office and it's not to say he isn't freaked out by its potential. But it is to say he is working in a field of an extraordinarily exploratory nature and therefore the possibilities are vast, both good and bad. 

Rock and roll was the end of it. Video was going to kill the radio star, and Bob Dylan sang about the times a-changing over 60 years ago. 

The nuclear free Pacific was needed to avoid oblivion, Covid was a problem, toss in a depression or two, any number of wars and their potential escalation, China was going to take over Taiwan, North Korea was going to pull the trigger, the Bay of Pigs was going to be cataclysmic – how many do you want? 

How many times do we have to do the ol' "it’s the end" dance before we realise it isn't? 

And a 27-year-old hasn’t seen something no one has ever seen before. 

He's probably done us a favour in at least waking a few more people up to what is a very transformative time. But it's not end times. 

You will be able to try out the CRL before it's over. So, as you were. 

I'm pretty sure AI isn't going to wipe us out.&nbsp;
AI is another of those technologies or gains we make that has the capability to do a lot if left unchecked.&nbsp;
But the key to all of this, as it has been with so many things before from the musket to the nuclear weapon, is self-interest.&nbsp;
Ultimately, we don’t actually have any desire to wipe ourselves out, given if we did, we would have and could have a long time ago.&nbsp;
I suspect the AI alarmism is driven by the fact people, especially the media, love to spread alarm and a lot of us don’t actually know much about AI.&nbsp;
If someone tells us an army is coming and it's a robot army and there is nothing we can do about it, then a lot of us not applying logic or knowing any better will freak out.&nbsp;
This bloke Jacob Coxon seems to the casual observer to be a couple of things:&nbsp;
1) 27-years-old. It's never really a good thing to believe everything a 27-year-old spouts.&nbsp;
2) A bloke with quite a keen interest in TV appearances. He was doing the circuit over the weekend and in my experience people who like being interviewed frequently have ulterior motives.&nbsp;
This isn't to say he hasn’t seen a lot of weird stuff at the office and it's not to say he isn't freaked out by its potential. But it is to say he is working in a field of an extraordinarily exploratory nature and therefore the possibilities are vast, both good and bad.&nbsp;
Rock and roll was the end of it. Video was going to kill the radio star, and Bob Dylan sang about the times a-changing over 60 years ago.&nbsp;
The nuclear free Pacific was needed to avoid oblivion, Covid was a problem, toss in a depression or two, any number of wars and their potential escalation, China was going to take over Taiwan, North Korea was going to pull the trigger, the Bay of Pigs was going to be cataclysmic – how many do you want?&nbsp;
How many times do we have to do the ol' "it’s the end" dance before we realise it isn't?&nbsp;
And a 27-year-old hasn’t seen something no one has ever seen before.&nbsp;
He's probably done us a favour in at least waking a few more people up to what is a very transformative time. But it's not end times.&nbsp;
You will be able to try out the CRL before it's over. So, as you were.&nbsp;

Mike's Minute: AI isn't going to wipe us out

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/6b0d7da3-20fb-47b8-bb39-b4c6016b795a/transcript

The Police Minister says we can't lose sight of the good work police did during the Tom Phillips case, even if there could have been improvement.  

An inquiry has suggested the Phillips children could've been found earlier, and there were communication failures between Police and Oranga Tamariki. 

Mark Mitchell says the police were dealt a tough hand in having to search in such a difficult area.  

He told Mike Hosking alongside improvements, the Phillips children remain the priority. 

Mitchell says he doesn't know where they are, but he knows they're being well looked after.  

Labour's Ginny Andersen told Hosking the report has exposed issues with the agencies, including hesitancy to act on reports from members of the public. 

LISTEN ABOVE  

The Police Minister says we can't lose sight of the good work police did during the Tom Phillips case, even if there could have been improvement. &nbsp;
An inquiry has suggested the Phillips children could've been found earlier, and there were communication failures between Police and Oranga Tamariki.&nbsp;
Mark Mitchell says the police were dealt a tough hand in having to search in such a difficult area. &nbsp;
He told Mike Hosking alongside improvements, the Phillips children remain the priority.&nbsp;
Mitchell says he doesn't know where they are, but he knows they're being well looked after. &nbsp;
Labour's Ginny Andersen told Hosking the report has exposed issues with the agencies, including hesitancy to act on reports from members of the public.&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE &nbsp;

Pollies: National's Mark Mitchell and Labour's Ginny Andersen on the Tom Phillips inquiry, public meetings

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/083e9c52-81ed-4963-b0e0-b4c60166ecdf/transcript

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Wednesday 16th of September, the Police and the Government respond to the Tom Phillips report that revealed some glaring failures. 

Supercars champ Chaz Mostert is in the country and the studio after it was announced the Race of Champions is coming to Wellington next year. 

Mark Mitchell and Ginny Andersen talk the Phillips report, angst on the campaign trail, and Ginny getting kicked out of the House for the first time on Politics Wednesday. 

Get the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. 

LISTEN ABOVE  

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Wednesday 16th of September, <a href="https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/on-air/mike-hosking-breakfast/audio/jill-rogers-deputy-police-commissioner-on-the-findings-of-the-tom-phillips-inquiry-missed-opportunities-to-recover-the-children/">the Police</a> and <a href="https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/on-air/mike-hosking-breakfast/audio/louise-upston-social-development-minister-on-the-results-of-the-inquiry-into-the-tom-phillips-case-lack-of-information-sharing/">the Government</a> respond to the Tom Phillips report that revealed some glaring failures.&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/on-air/mike-hosking-breakfast/audio/chaz-mostert-supercars-driver-for-walkinshaw-twg-racing-on-the-race-of-champions-heading-to-wellington/">Supercars champ Chaz Mostert</a> is in the country and the studio after it was announced the Race of Champions is coming to Wellington next year.&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/on-air/mike-hosking-breakfast/audio/pollies-nationals-mark-mitchell-and-labours-ginny-andersen-on-the-tom-phillips-inquiry-public-meetings/">Mark Mitchell and Ginny Andersen</a> talk the Phillips report, angst on the campaign trail, and Ginny getting kicked out of the House for the first time on Politics Wednesday.&nbsp;
Get the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE &nbsp;

Full Show Podcast: 16 September 2026 

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/b3cdd2a8-296a-47bb-99a1-b4c6015d71b1/transcript

Doctor Helen Blackie: Project lead on new Artificial Intelligence trap being added to New Zealand's predator-free campaign

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