Artificial Intelligence and Indigenous Data Sovereignty

Wednesday, 9 July 2025: 11:00-12:45
Location: ASJE019 (Annex of the Faculty of Legal, Economic, and Social Sciences)
RC05 Racism, Nationalism, Indigeneity and Ethnicity (host committee)

Language: English

The field of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly growing and increasingly becoming a pervasive feature of societal functioning and now a part of Indigenous People’s lives. Data are the currency of AI and have a tangible value to non-Indigenous and Indigenous people alike. But while Indigenous Peoples have given our data, or, more often, had our data collected and taken without our consent, we have rarely drawn value from these data. So, while AI advocates highlight the social, economic, and even cultural benefits the technology may bring, Indigenous Peoples history and data precedent would suggest we must proceed with caution. Although AI technologies can indeed produce positive outcomes for Indigenous Peoples, we will likely not benefit equally in comparison to our non-Indigenous counterparts. The considerable risks embedded in the ubiquity of AI are a major concern, this includes elements like bias, stigma, and reinforcing (neo-)colonial stereotypes. This regular session invites presenters to engage with the question of how Indigenous Data Sovereignty (IDSov) can mitigate harmful outcomes produced by Artificial Intelligence (AI), while enhancing its potential benefit for Indigenous people and communities. Presenters are encouraged to approach the topic sociologically, particularly through a movement building lens.

Session Organizers:
Desi SMALL-RODRIGUEZ, USA, Jacob PREHN, University of Tasmania, Australia and Bronwyn CARLSON, Macquarie University, Australia
Oral Presentations
Ancestral Wisdom and Artificial Intelligence: Pathways for Nature and Wellbeing of Humanity
Octaviana TRUJILLO, USA; Gail SMALL, Commission for Environmental Cooperation, USA
Indigenous Data Rights As a Tool to Interrogate and Counter Algorithmic Bias
Danica PAWLICK POTTS, York University, Canada
Protecting Indigenous Rights across Physical and Digital Ecosystems in the Age of Artificial Intelligence
Lydia JENNINGS, Assistant Professor, USA; Desi SMALL-RODRIGUEZ, USA; Abigail ECHO-HAWK, Urban Indian Health Institute, USA
Assessing Indigenous Sovereignty in Operationalized Algorithmic Systems.
Paul BROWN, University of Waikato, New Zealand; Manakore RICKUS-GRAHAM, Nicholson Consulting, New Zealand; Ben RITCHIE, Nicholson Consulting, New Zealand
Medicinal Plants in Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico: What Has Been Done to Protect Traditional Knowledge from Biopiracy? a Review from an Indigenous Data Sovereignty Perspective
Nadine Heidi ESPÍNDOLA-RODRÍGUEZ, Mexico; Oscar Luis FIGUEROA RODRIGUEZ, COLEGIO DE POSTGRADUADOS CAMPUS MONTECILLO, Mexico; Martin HERNANDEZ-JUAREZ, COLEGIO DE POSTGRADUADOS CAMPUS MONTECILLO, Mexico; Jorge CADENA-ÍÑIGUEZ, Colegio de Postgraduados - Campus San Luis Potosí, Mexico; María Antonia PÉREZ-OLVERA, COLEGIO DE POSTGRADUADOS CAMPUS MONTECILLO, Mexico
Developing the Karuk Tribe Department of Natural Resources Data & Knowledge Sovereignty Policy
Sierra HICKS, USA; Colleen ROSSIER, The Karuk Tribe, USA; Aja CONRAD, The Karuk Tribe, USA; Shawn BOURQUE, The Karuk Tribe, USA; Bruno SERAPHIN, University of Connecticut, USA; Analisa TRIPP, The Karuk Tribe, USA; Leece LARUE, The Karuk Tribe, USA
Indigenous Data Sovereignty and Digital Cultural Heritage: Collective Stewardship for Global Governance
Ksenia LAVRENTEVA, University of Exeter, United Kingdom
Implementing Indigenous Data Governance for Indigenous Data Sharing and Access in Australia
Bobby MAHER, Australian National University, Australia; Ray LOVETT, Australian National University, Australia
See more of: RC05 Racism, Nationalism, Indigeneity and Ethnicity
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