AI and Indigenous Communities: A New Perspective

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has quickly become a part of our daily lives. But did you know that it affects Indigenous communities too? These communities have unique concerns about AI that are often overlooked. One big problem is the misuse of Indigenous cultural property. AI can create art that looks like traditional Indigenous art, but it doesn’t tell the real stories behind it. This is because AI uses large sets of public images to create new ones. However, it misses the cultural knowledge and storytelling that are part of Indigenous art. AI also spreads wrong information about Indigenous people. Websites and AI systems often mix up different Indigenous groups from around the world. During Australia’s Voice to Parliament referendum, AI-generated images were used to spread false information about Indigenous people. Many Indigenous people don’t know much about AI. In Australia, around 40% of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population has never heard of generative AI. This shows the need for more education and training in Indigenous communities.

AI in schools is another worry. Some Indigenous students might struggle with AI tools. Looking forward, we need to include Indigenous people in creating and controlling AI. Hawaiian and Samoan Scholar Jason Lewis thinks AI should consider all human behaviors, not just a few. The idea of Indigenous data sovereignty is important. It means Indigenous people should control their own data. In Australia, groups like Maiam nayri Wingara are working on this. A scholar named Grace Dillon coined the term “Indigenous Futurisms”. It’s about imagining future worlds based on ancient Indigenous cultures and understanding oppression. To make AI fair for everyone, we need to involve Indigenous people in creating and regulating the technology. Governments and AI developers should listen to Indigenous voices and make sure AI respects Indigenous worldviews.

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