Transforming Technology for Good: The Power of Sovereign Wiradyuri Wisdom in AI Innovation

We are living through a time of huge changes. Issues like climate change, political turmoil, and health crises are on the rise. Many in the tech world claim artificial intelligence (AI) is the solution.

However, AI is currently making some of these problems worse. It’s being linked to climate issues, damaging environments, and even reinforcing systemic racism.

But AI has the potential to do good. One promising approach is to incorporate Indigenous ways of knowing and being, especially from the Wiradyuri Nation in central New South Wales.

A rich history of technology

Indigenous cultures worldwide have a long tradition of using technology to thrive. For instance, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander fish traps promote sustainable fishing. They help fish populations grow and minimize waste by utilizing the entire catch.

Similarly, the Inuit in North America skillfully crafted snow goggles from bone and made boats waterproof using natural materials.

These examples reflect a deep understanding of technology as a tool to support life and the environment. This mindset contrasts sharply with the approaches often seen in colonial cultures.

The downsides of colonial technology

Settler colonialism involves taking over lands already inhabited by others, often leading to significant harm. Countries like the United States and Australia exemplify this history.

Throughout history, technology has played a role in violent acts of colonization. For example, the Tuskegee syphilis study was a notorious experiment that misused medical technology for decades. Similarly, Indigenous peoples in Canada faced forced sterilization throughout the 20th century.

Today, as the US leads the way in AI research, this technology often reflects the same damaging patterns of destruction and replacement of cultures and communities.

Some AI models are designed to take data without permission and ignore diverse viewpoints. This can have particularly negative effects on Indigenous people. For instance, misinformation about Indigenous issues was spread during a recent referendum in Australia, further erasing their voices.

Important new work by Dr. Tamika Worrell of @IndigStudiesMQ and the Centre for Global Indigenous Futures. Check it out in the latest issue of TLN Journal: https://t.co/I5x68Dt3xi pic.twitter.com/nquFsXhlJp

— Centre for Global Indigenous Futures (@IndigFutures) September 28, 2024

A call for change

Jess Russ-Smith, a Wiradyuri Wambuul woman, offers insights into AI through Wiradyuri beliefs. These teachings show that everything is connected, encapsulated in the concept of Wayanha, which means transformation.

In simple terms, everything is always changing and nothing just starts or stops. This view applies to AI just as it does to people. AI evolves based on its history and context, just like we do.

Read more: Indigenous science can help solve some of the great problems of our time

When we understand AI in this way, it becomes clear that its impact is part of a longer story, echoing past harms from previous technologies.

Emerging resistance

However, change is possible. There’s an uprising against harmful AI practices rooted in settler colonialism.

For example, the Lakota Language Learning Model project is using AI to maintain the Lakota language in North America. Additionally, the Indigenous AI Abundant Intelligences program focuses on building technology that respects Indigenous wisdom and diversity.

These modern efforts can be traced back to thousands of years of Indigenous innovation, proving that technology can be beneficial rather than destructive. By centering Indigenous leadership and sustainable practices, AI can support both people and the environment.

This article was co-authored with Associate Professor Jessica Russ-Smith, Assistant Deputy Head of School at the School of Allied Health, Australian Catholic University.

This article originally appeared on The Conversation.