April 22, 2025
THE FIRST NATIONS TECHNOLOGY COUNCIL WANTS TO DESIGN CUSTOM AI (artificial intelligence) resources that prioritize digital sovereignty and support Nation-building.
The FNTC invites elected leaders and staff of First Nations in B.C. to share insights by May 5, 2025 (by online survey, in-person or vitual meeting, or email) about current use, barriers, and priorities for using AI in Phase 1 of the project, “Understanding Your Needs”.
“This powerful technology has the potential to support Nation-building, governance, economic development, cultural preservation, and more, but only when Nations guide and implement its design and implementation,” reads the project webpage.
“The risk of digital colonialism is real,” writes FNTC CEO Natiea Vinson, a member of Tk’emlúps te Secwe̓pemc.
A member of Canada’s Advisory Council on Artificial Intelligence, Vinson notes that Canada proposes to spend $2.4 billion to drive innovation, but writes that “AI systems are built on Western frameworks that do not necessarily reflect or serve Indigenous community needs. These systems continue the erasure of Indigenous knowledge, values, and governance models, reinforcing the urgency for an approach to AI that is ethical and grounded in Indigenous rights.”
She adds:
AI should not be limited to linear, reductionist logic. It must reflect Indigenous knowledge systems that have sustained communities for generations. When AI is developed without meaningful First Nations input, it risks undermining the very communities it should support.
This is not just about access—it’s about representation, governance, and sovereignty. AI must be intentionally shaped to strengthen, rather than exclude, First Nations communities. Its potential as a tool for digital empowerment is immense, but realizing that potential requires design processes led by and for Indigenous Peoples from the start.
AI must serve all communities, and Indigenous voices must be central to its development.
We note from Vinson’s biography on the Advisory Council’s website that she
has more than fifteen years of experience working as an entrepreneur and across academia, social enterprise organizations and the public and private sectors. In all her roles, Natiea has advocated for institutional innovation, reconciliation, and Indigenous renewal. She has held several senior positions at Indigenous-led organizations, including as the Director of Programs at the Canadian Council of Indigenous Business and as the Founder of Makook, an Indigenous content discovery service.
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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.