2026-09-02 / Signal #5
Wellington’s $435k Deloitte Staffing Report Was “Large Chunks” AI-Written — After It Double-Counted Jobs
“The city paid $435,000 for a report the mayor now says was mostly written by a chatbot—and it got the job count wrong.”
The Story
Wellington Mayor Andrew Little said “large chunks” of a $435,000 Deloitte “Future Fit” report on council staffing were written by AI. The report recommended cutting about 330 roles; later checks found double-counting of vacancies, three-year-old data, and other errors that inflated the surplus. Deloitte has stood by the conclusions while noting humans sign off.
Why It Matters
Institutions paying consulting prices for AI slop that then drives real headcount decisions.
Evidence
RNZ / mayor interview (Sept 2, 2026)
Sources
Daily scan: 2026-09-02