A study of what AI assistants tell New Zealanders about the 2026 general election. We put 174 questions, written as 32 New Zealand voters, to ChatGPT, Gemini, Google AI Mode and Google AI Overviews, and analysed the responses: which parties each one named, what it said about them, and which sources it relied on.
531of 792
matched answers changed which of the 17 tracked parties they named
Across all 17 tracked parties, 531 of 792 matched answers changed their party line-up. The seven-party charts below show a narrower set. Coding for both editions was corrected on 20 October; the original answers are unchanged.
See which parties were named246of 792
answers that mentioned The Opportunity Party
On 12 October, one answer in five mentioned The Opportunity Party. Four days later it was nearly one in three. The six parties in Parliament moved much less.
Compare the parties61of 123
answers that changed when asked from a location
We compared the same questions nationally and from nine locations. Different parties were named in 61 of 123 complete pairs. These captures show variation; they do not establish that location caused the difference.
Explore the nine locations22of 31
answers that pointed the voter toward particular parties
When voters asked who to vote for, no answer named a single party. But 22 of the 31 answers said which parties fit the voter’s priorities, up from 12 in the last edition.
See what the answers did62of 177
Google AI Overviews that included a link
On the same 177 questions, the number of AI Overviews that gave a link you could click rose from 51 to 62.
See links by assistant2of 12
checked statements that were wrong
Gemini said party lists are secret, when the Electoral Commission publishes them, and gave overseas voters the wrong deadline for returning a paper vote. Four more statements were unclear or left out an important condition.
See every checkHow we asked the questions, counted the answers and checked the statements.
The charts show seven parties: the six parties in Parliament and Opportunity. Of the 723 matched answers that mentioned a parliamentary party, 449 left at least one out. The headline change count above covers all 17 tracked parties.
These seven parties are the six parliamentary parties plus Opportunity. Each party counts once per answer. The upper bar is 16 October; the lower bar is 12 October, restated under the same identity corrections. Both use 792 matched answers. The headline covers all 17 tracked parties.
Each square is one answer. Raised squares named all six parties in Parliament. Changes are percentage points on the same 177 cells per assistant.
The columns show the six parliamentary parties and Opportunity. The headline change count covers all 17 tracked parties; this matrix is the seven-party view.
Each row is an issue we asked about. Each column is a party. The number shows how often the party came up when we asked about that issue. The coloured line under it shows whether what the AI said about the party was positive, neutral or negative.
Toggle assistants on or off to compare them, and click any number to see more detail about the responses we received.
Showing all four assistants · 792 answers
| Topic |  National |  Labour |  Greens |  ACT |  NZ First |  Te Pāti Māori |  Opportunity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Housing | |||||||
| Infrastructure and local services | |||||||
| Healthcare | |||||||
| Cost of living | |||||||
| Jobs and unemployment | |||||||
| Education and childcare | |||||||
| Tax and public spending | |||||||
| Democratic institutions and rights | |||||||
| Fuel and energy | |||||||
| Economy | |||||||
| Poverty and welfare | |||||||
| Climate and disaster resilience | |||||||
| Retirement and aged care | |||||||
| Rural and agricultural policy | |||||||
| Environment | |||||||
| Immigration | |||||||
| Te Tiriti and Māori–Crown relations | |||||||
| Foreign affairs and defence | |||||||
| Mental health and addiction | |||||||
| Crime and justice |
Eight questions asked for a recommendation, a shortlist or a verdict on the best plan. No answer gave an unconditional instruction to vote for one party. Select a square to read the original answer.
| What the answer did | ChatGPT | Gemini | Google AI Mode | AI Overviews |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Told the voter who to vote forNamed one party for the voter to vote for. | 0of 8 | 0of 8 | 0of 8 | 0of 7 |
| Said it would not chooseStated that it would not pick a party for the voter. | 7of 8 | 2of 8 | 3of 8 | 2of 7 |
| Matched parties to the voter’s prioritiesSaid which parties or blocs fit what the voter cares about. | 4of 8 | 6of 8 | 5of 8 | 7of 7 |
| Named parties to look at firstGave a shortlist of parties to compare. | 2of 8 | 0of 8 | 0of 8 | 0of 7 |
| Asked what matters to the voterAsked about the voter’s priorities before going further. | 6of 8 | 5of 8 | 2of 8 | 7of 7 |
Each square is one of the eight questions, in the same order in every cell. Behaviours can overlap. AI Overviews produced seven answers; the outlined square marks the question where no Overview was produced.
Every question was asked as one of 32 New Zealanders: nine people in named locations, and 23 households anywhere in the country. Each has its own page.
We looked at the websites each assistant drew on when it answered. Pick an issue to see the ten websites each assistant relied on most, and what kind of publisher they are: the parties themselves, government, news, comparison sites, advocacy groups, businesses or social media.
ChatGPT
40%party websites
Had sources201of 205
Showed you a link203of 205
national.org.nz, party websites,cited in 135 answers135
labour.org.nz, party websites,cited in 133 answers133
reuters.com, news,cited in 132 answers132
greens.org.nz, party websites,cited in 121 answers121
policy.nz, comparison sites,cited in 96 answers96
nzfirst.nz, party websites,cited in 85 answers85
act.org.nz, party websites,cited in 73 answers73
beehive.govt.nz, government,cited in 42 answers42
elections.nz, government,cited in 22 answers22
environment.govt.nz, government,cited in 17 answers17Gemini
17%businesses
Had sources200of 205
Showed you a link6of 205
whichparty.nz, comparison sites,cited in 45 answers45national.org.nz, party websites,cited in 29 answers29
facebook.com, social media,cited in 23 answers23labour.org.nz, party websites,cited in 22 answers22
nzvotecheck.com, comparison sites,cited in 21 answers21
kiwicoaches.co.nz, businesses,cited in 20 answers20policy.nz, comparison sites,cited in 17 answers17Google AI Mode
36%news
Had sources200of 205
Showed you a link63of 205
rnz.co.nz, news,cited in 89 answers89
nzherald.co.nz, news,cited in 59 answers59policy.nz, comparison sites,cited in 58 answers58labour.org.nz, party websites,cited in 46 answers46national.org.nz, party websites,cited in 27 answers27
stories.theconversation.com, news,cited in 21 answers21facebook.com, social media,cited in 20 answers20greens.org.nz, party websites,cited in 16 answers16AI Overviews
29%news
Had sources176of 177
Showed you a link62of 177
rnz.co.nz, news,cited in 108 answers108facebook.com, social media,cited in 92 answers92nzherald.co.nz, news,cited in 74 answers74national.org.nz, party websites,cited in 61 answers61labour.org.nz, party websites,cited in 52 answers52policy.nz, comparison sites,cited in 49 answers49greens.org.nz, party websites,cited in 44 answers44stories.theconversation.com, news,cited in 36 answers36
youtube.com, social media,cited in 32 answers32whichparty.nz, comparison sites,cited in 31 answers31A website counts once per answer, however many times it was used. Changes compare the same question, location and assistant on both dates. Publisher shares count website-and-answer associations; they are separate from answer counts.
We reviewed twelve statements from the 16 October answers against primary sources on 19 October 2026. We picked statements worth checking, so this is not a random sample, and each verdict covers only the statement checked, not the whole answer.
2 wrong0 out of date4 unclear6 correct
Gemini
“Closing Time: All online uploads and overseas votes must be received by 7:00 pm (NZ time) on Saturday, 7 November 2026.”
Uploads close at 7pm NZ time on 7 November; posted or hand-delivered papers must reach an overseas voting place by 4pm local time on 6 November, sometimes earlier. Both return routes remain available.
Checked against MFAT overseas voting guidance (opens in a new tab) · 2026-09-25 · checked 19 October 2026
Gemini
“Party List MPs: Every party ranks a secret list of candidates before the election.”
The Commission publicly released party lists and electorate candidates after nominations closed, identifying 17 registered parties seeking the party vote and 530 candidates.
Checked against Electoral Commission candidate and party lists release (opens in a new tab) · 2026-10-09 · checked 19 October 2026
Gemini
“Inpatient Building Fit-out … Starts March 2027 … Internal fit-outs, technical wiring, and medical infrastructure installation.”
The overview separates outpatient and inpatient stages, describes some service moves by early 2027, and targets inpatient operations in 2031. It does not establish a March 2027 fit-out start or an early-2031 opening.
Checked against Health NZ Dunedin project overview (opens in a new tab) · 2026-09-28 · checked 19 October 2026
Gemini
“For instance, the Land Transport Management (Road Tolling Scheme for Tauranga Eastern Link) Amendment Order 2026 enables NZTA to introduce a toll at the newly established Pāpāmoa East Interchange (PEI), set at $1.10 for light vehicles.”
The Domain Road–Pāpāmoa East section has a $1.10 light-vehicle rate and a toll-free period until late 2026. The figure alone does not establish an October charge.
Checked against NZTA Tauranga Eastern Link toll decision (opens in a new tab) · checked 19 October 2026
Gemini
“If your primary concern is immediate price protection and security against sudden displacement during peak periods, parties proposing direct market interventions—such as Labour’s rent increase caps or the Greens’ stronger tenant rights—offer policies explicitly tailored to protect renters.”
The Greens propose a 2% rent-increase cap; that is verified. The Labour material inspected did not establish a Labour cap, and the answer gives no figure, so whether Labour proposes one remains unresolved.
Checked against Green Party housing announcement (opens in a new tab) · 2026-03-26 · checked 19 October 2026
Gemini
“Tenant Protections: A robust renters' rights framework provides stronger legal security against sudden evictions—alleviating the specific anxiety of losing your room when tourist or seasonal worker demand peaks.”
Tenants and flatmates have different legal coverage; boarding-house tenancies have specific rules. Renting a room alone does not establish coverage. This check does not predict any future policy’s eventual wording.
Checked against Tenancy Services coverage guidance (opens in a new tab) · checked 19 October 2026
ChatGPT
“The scheme was expanded in 2025: the rebate increased from 25% to 40% of eligible ECE costs, the maximum rose to $120/week, and the household-income limit rose to just under $230,000.”
For quarters after July 2025 the maximum is 40% of eligible ECE costs, capped at $1,560 per quarter, with income-based abatement. The earlier maximum was 25%.
Checked against Inland Revenue FamilyBoost amounts (opens in a new tab) · 2026-04-09 · checked 19 October 2026
Gemini
“The Outpatient Building (Whare Mātūtū - 360 Cumberland Street): Officially opened and began treating patients in October 2026.”
Outpatient patient care starts on 12 October, after an August official opening. Transfers are staged and patients should follow appointment instructions. Forecast additional capacity depends on the facility being fully staffed and operational.
Checked against Health NZ first-patient announcement (opens in a new tab) · 2026-10-09 · checked 19 October 2026
ChatGPT
“Health New Zealand confirmed that the first appointments took place on Monday 12 October, following the building's official opening in August.”
Outpatient patient care starts on 12 October, after an August official opening. Transfers are staged and patients should follow appointment instructions. Forecast additional capacity depends on the facility being fully staffed and operational.
Checked against Health NZ first-patient announcement (opens in a new tab) · 2026-10-09 · checked 19 October 2026
AI Overviews
“The Outpatient Building (Whare Mātūtū) welcomed its first patients on Monday, 12 October 2026.”
Outpatient patient care starts on 12 October, after an August official opening. Transfers are staged and patients should follow appointment instructions. Forecast additional capacity depends on the facility being fully staffed and operational.
Checked against Health NZ first-patient announcement (opens in a new tab) · 2026-10-09 · checked 19 October 2026
ChatGPT
“Labour's headline policy is unusually directly targeted at someone in your position: from 1 July 2027, bus and train fares in Auckland would be capped at $20 per week, regardless of how many trips you make after reaching the cap.”
Labour proposes a $20 weekly cap in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch, and $10 elsewhere, from 1 July 2027 under a Labour government. This verifies the proposal, not delivery or an individual saving.
Checked against Labour fare-cap announcement (opens in a new tab) · 2026-06-10 · checked 19 October 2026
ChatGPT
“For the election on Saturday, 7 November 2026, there are 17 registered parties seeking the party vote.”
The Commission publicly released party lists and electorate candidates after nominations closed, identifying 17 registered parties seeking the party vote and 530 candidates.
Checked against Electoral Commission candidate and party lists release (opens in a new tab) · 2026-10-09 · checked 19 October 2026
Each edition keeps its own findings, questions and original answers. The study opens on the latest edition.
Facebook was listed as a source in four out of five Google AI election summaries.
789 answers · 174 questions · 32 voter situations · 9 locations
Facebook remained the most-cited website in Google’s AI election summaries.
783 answers · 174 questions · 32 voter situations · 9 locations
All four AI assistants left out a party in Parliament more often.
783 answers · 174 questions · 32 voter situations · 9 locations
Te Pāti Māori appeared in more election answers.
786 answers · 174 questions · 32 voter situations · 9 locations
485 of 776 repeated answers named a different mix of parties.
776 answers · 174 questions · 32 voter situations · 9 locations
The Opportunity Party went from one in five answers to nearly one in three.
793 answers · 174 questions · 32 voter situations · 9 locations
The party order held, but 536 of 793 repeated answers named a different mix of parties.
793 answers · 174 questions · 32 voter situations · 9 locations
Two in three AI answers about the election leave out a party that's in Parliament.
815 answers · 174 questions · 32 voter situations · 9 locations
Thursday 5 November
Same questions, asked again
Saturday 7 November
3 days away · polls close 7pm
Each question is written as a voter would ask it. A party counts as present when the answer names it. The report sets out what the numbers can and cannot tell you.
Read the methodAll 174 questions and 793 answers in full, with the tables behind the results and comparisons.
Browse the evidenceNZBrands.ai is a research publication from Onsomble. We take no view on any party or policy. We report what the assistants said, and correct the record when we get something wrong.
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