Indigenous Peoples Day explores the risks and opportunities of AI
Without safeguards, AI could harm Indigenous rights through unequal access to technology, environmental damage, and the continuation of harmful colonial practice
On 9 August, the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples, the United Nations (UN) held an online event focused on the theme AI: Defending Rights, Shaping Futures. Indigenous Peoples, numbering about 476 million across 90 countries, represent more than 5,000 cultures.
The UN highlighted both the potential benefits and the risks of artificial intelligence (AI) for Indigenous communities.
Without safeguards, AI could harm Indigenous rights through unequal access to technology, environmental damage, and the continuation of harmful colonial practices. Large AI data centers require significant electricity, increasing pressure on the climate. When built near Indigenous lands, these facilities can damage local ecosystems, says UN News.
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Another concern is the lack of Indigenous participation in AI decision-making. Governments and large tech companies often make choices without consulting Indigenous Peoples. This has led to the use of Indigenous languages, knowledge, and culture in AI systems without consent, resulting in misrepresentation and appropriation.
Despite these risks, AI can also be a valuable tool. Around the world, Indigenous groups are using AI to preserve cultural traditions, protect languages, and pass down knowledge to future generations.
This year's International Day also celebrated the winners of the 2025 Equator Prize, awarded by the UN Development Programme (UNDP) to ten Indigenous-led organizations promoting sustainable development under the theme Nature for Climate Action, says UN News.
Each winner will receive $10,000, recognition at an online ceremony, and opportunities to join global events such as the UN General Assembly and COP30 in Brazil.
Winners include organizations from Latin America, Asia, Africa, and the Pacific, such as COMAR in Argentina, Hakhu Amazon Foundation in Ecuador, Mitra BUMMA in Indonesia, Sea Women of Melanesia in Papua New Guinea, and Nature and People As One in Kenya. Their work combines traditional knowledge with modern approaches to protect the environment and support community well-being.
