Words: Andrew Sluys
Published 2 July 2026
Google has announced a partnership with Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori (the Māori Language Commission) to implement better pronunciation on its Maps software.
From today, Google Maps users will be able to select the New Zealand voice to hear Aotearoa place names the way they should sound.
The voice uses an AI-powered Text to Speech (TTS) model that speaks English with a Kiwi accent.
This allows for correct pronunciation of the traditional place names that previous voices have said incorrectly.
Caroline Rainsford, Country Director of Google New Zealand said, “I’m incredibly excited for New Zealanders to experience this new local voice in Google Maps.
“Two things have been critical to the success of this update: Advancements in AI have enabled our Text to Speech model to pronounce te reo Māori place names in an English sentence. And importantly, this would not have been possible without our years-long partnership and deep collaboration with Te Taura Whiri.
“We’re so proud to be able to launch this voice in New Zealand because we know how important it is to pronounce our local place names correctly.”
Ngahiwi Apanui-Barr, Chief Executive of Te Taura Whiri said, “This exciting tool secures a future for te reo Māori in the digital age. We are proud to partner with Google to make New Zealand’s unique language visible, valued and voiced.
“Like all other languages, Māori placenames carry stories that connect us to our histories, people and achievements. The first step to unlocking those stories is correct pronunciation. If we can hear the words said correctly, we can say the words correctly. This is an important step forward in making te reo Māori a normal, everyday language.”
This update will be rolled out to Google Maps users over the next two weeks, but the company notes te reo Māori pronunciation might not be perfect from the start.
Google notes the partnership initially focuses on Aotearoa cities and towns, with street and road names to be updated further on.
People can submit words for review via the Te Taura Whiri website: https://www.tetaurawhiri.govt.nz/google-maps
