Project lead: Dr Te Wai Barbarich-Unasa Ngāti Paoa, Waikato, Ngāti Maniapoto AUT University | Te Wānanga Aronui o Tāmaki Makau Rau
Type 2 diabetes continues to be a major health challenge for Māori, who are more than twice as likely to be diagnosed and face more severe and life-threatening complications than non-Māori (Holder-Pearson & Chase, 2022).
Despite decades of intervention, mainstream services have largely failed to improve outcomes for Māori—highlighting the need for culturally grounded, whānau-centred solutions that better reflect Māori realities and aspirations (Tane et al., 2021).
Kimi Ora is a kaupapa Māori diabetes lifestyle programme delivered by Te Kōhao Health in Kirikiriroa. Since 2018, it has supported over 400 participants through a holistic, clinically informed model that centres kaupapa Māori and whānau wellbeing (Masters-Awatere et al., 2021).
This research explores how artificial intelligence (AI) can be ethically and effectively integrated into the Kimi Ora model to improve more timely access, responsiveness, and long-term sustainability—while upholding Māori data sovereignty principles and tikanga (Kukutai, et al., 2023).
The project will evaluate what makes Kimi Ora effective, assess existing AI tools for cultural alignment, and explore whether AI-enhanced services are acceptable to whānau and providers. By partnering with Te Kōhao Health, this project will also strengthen Māori community research capability and inform future service design. The findings will also support Māori leadership in digital health technology and contribute to more equitable, culturally grounded care for Māori communities.