More than 470 million Indigenous Peoples live across the world, distributed across 90 countries and splintered into unique communities with their own culture and traditional knowledge. Although they make up less than 6% of the world’s population, indigenous individuals account for at least 15% of the poorest individuals in the world. As new, often disruptive technologies take over, and native lands are encroached upon, concerns arise over both how this would impact traditional knowledge ecosystems, and how they may be pressed into service for the benefit, rather than the exploitation, of Indigenous Peoples.
Touching on these concerns, Indigenous Peoples and AI: Defending Rights, Shaping Futures was the theme at the centre of this year’s observance of International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, celebrated each year on August 9. This day was selected for the observance to commemorate the first meeting of the UN Working Group on Indigenous Populations held in Geneva in 1982.
