Challenge:
UserLabs, a New Zealand-based AI development agency, was scaling rapidly across APAC and Europe. While their client base grew quickly, the absence of a consistent governance framework meant that risk controls varied from project to project. Clients increasingly asked for assurances around bias mitigation, transparency, and regulatory readiness — and without guardrails baked into workflows, UserLabs risked reputational damage and delivery bottlenecks.
New Zealand Context:
As a hub for innovation, New Zealand has few enforceable AI-specific regulations, but international clients expected UserLabs to meet the standards of the EU AI Act and Singapore’s AI Verify. This created a dual challenge: maintain agility for rapid prototyping while embedding trust and compliance by design into every build. The agency needed governance not as an afterthought, but as part of its core delivery model.
Solution:
Hyperios partnered with UserLabs to design embedded governance guardrails across their development lifecycle. We introduced:
- A framework for bias testing, explainability, and risk documentation integrated into DevOps pipelines.
- Playbooks for client-facing projects that included governance checkpoints and transparency reporting templates.
- Training and change management for developers, ensuring governance was seen as an enabler, not a blocker.
Outcome:
Within nine months, UserLabs transformed its delivery model into a compliance-first, innovation-fast workflow. This positioned them as a trusted partner for enterprise clients in finance and healthcare sectors, accelerated project sign-offs, and reduced compliance-related project delays by 50%. UserLabs now markets its governance maturity as a competitive edge, reassuring clients that every AI solution comes with built-in accountability and resilience
