Guest post by Jenny Andrews*
* Jenny Andrews is a copyeditor for CLEBC and a linguaphile with her heritage languages (Ukrainian and Michif) close to her heart. She is active in her Métis community, involved in Michif French revitalization, and is also currently learning Southern Michif. Jenny also enjoys beading, noodles, and tiny dogs.
July 21, 2026
INDIGENOUS LANGUAGES CARRY KNOWLEDGE systems, histories, and relationships that have been passed from generation to generation. The continuity of many of these languages continues to be threatened as a result of colonial policies, including those that created residential schools and carried out other efforts to suppress Indigenous cultures. Today, AI is emerging as a tool that could support language revitalization efforts.
AI can assist with vocabulary and grammar learning, transcription, translation, and pronunciation, helping to make language resources more accessible to learners. For communities working to strengthen language use among younger generations, these tools offer new opportunities to preserve and share linguistic knowledge.[1] At the same time, Indigenous scholars, language keepers, and technologists emphasize that AI cannot replace the lived knowledge, cultural teachings, and human relationships that are central to language transmission—AI is most effective when it supports the work already being led by Indigenous communities.[2]
The use of AI in language revitalization highlights the importance of Indigenous data sovereignty. Language recordings, stories, and other cultural materials should remain under the control of the communities to which they belong. Without clear governance and consent, there is a risk that Indigenous knowledge could be extracted, commercialized, or used in ways that do not align with community values, goals, and priorities. Indigenous-led approaches to AI ensure that language technologies are developed ethically, with communities retaining ownership and decision-making authority over their linguistic and cultural data.
When guided by Indigenous communities, AI has the potential to become a valuable tool for language revitalization. Rather than replacing speakers, language keepers, and knowledge holders, it can help create new pathways for learning, preservation, and intergenerational knowledge sharing.
Check out these cool projects on Indigenous language revitalization using AI and Indigenous-led tech:
[1] CBC News. “Can AI Help Revitalize Indigenous Languages? Experts Say It Must Be Indigenous-Led.” August 13, 2024. https://www.cbc.ca/news/indigenous/ai-indigenous-languages-1.7290740.
[2] Will, Jesse. “Could AI Help Save Indigenous Languages?” Dropbox Blog. February 26, 2024. https://blog.dropbox.com/topics/work-culture/could-ai-help-save-indigenous-languages.
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We acknowledge that the land on which we work is the unceded territory of the Coast Salish peoples, including the territories of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations.