AI roadblocks may leave Indigenous in Canada further behind
Indigenous Peoples in Canada are eager to engage with AI, but systemic barriers limit their participation in the digital economy, says Natiea Vinson, CEO of the First Nations Technology Council.
“Indigenous Peoples recognize AI’s potential — from language and cultural revitalization to streamlined business operations — but face distinct, systemic barriers to accessing and benefiting from these tools,” wrote Vinson, a member of the government’s AI Strategy Task Force, in a submission for recommendations on Canada’s AI strategy.
Connectivity gaps, trust deficits and inadequate sustained funding for training and digital transformation are limiting Indigenous Peoples’ participation in the digital economy, Vinson said. “Addressing these challenges requires immediate, targeted investment that recognizes the distinct needs and rights of Indigenous communities.”
Vinson’s submission was based on consultations with Indigenous leaders, organizations and over 2,000 learners and alumni from the Council’s network. It made four recommendations:
Invest $5.2 billion to close the First Nations broadband gap by 2030.
Allocate part of the $2 billion Sovereign AI Compute Strategy to Indigenous governments and organizations.
Create a national fund to support Indigenous-led digital transformation.
Establish permanent funding for Indigenous-led AI education and workforce training.
“Without these targeted investments, the digital divide will widen, further marginalizing Indigenous Peoples from economic opportunities and technological advancement,” Vinson wrote.
Currently, only 80.3% of First Nations households on reserves and Modern Treaty Nation lands have access to high-speed internet, compared with 96.1% of all BC households, leaving thousands of households unconnected. Without addressing this gap, Vinson wrote, “Indigenous communities will remain excluded from AI opportunities, further deepening Canada’s digital divide.”
AI systems don’t reflect Indigenous realities
The submission notes that “AI systems are rarely built on datasets that reflect Indigenous epistemologies, languages and worldviews, leaving Indigenous Peoples feeling ‘othered’ when interacting with popular large language models.” Vinson called for investment in edge computing centres for AI on reserves and for a framework ensuring that cloud providers and AI developers respect Indigenous governance over data.
The submission also calls for the establishment of a permanent federal-provincial funding stream to support AI literacy and digital skills. Workforce training for Indigenous Peoples Training should be culturally relevant and age-appropriate, beginning at the elementary level for youth and including low-barrier, self-paced courses for working adults.
Nearly 70% of youth surveyed were already familiar with AI tools, and over 75% expressed interest in learning more, Vinson wrote.
Reconciliation through technology
“These measures will ensure that Indigenous Peoples are not left behind as AI transforms Canada's economy, but instead are empowered as decision-makers in shaping an AI future that reflects their values, protects their knowledge, and serves their self-determined priorities,” Vinson wrote.
“The federal government has an opportunity to advance reconciliation through technology by ensuring Indigenous Peoples have equitable access to the tools, training, and infrastructure necessary to thrive in an AI-enabled world.”
The government released a “what we heard” report from the 30-day national consultation on the country’s upcoming AI strategy. Submissions across 32 reports from the Task Force members highlighted that while Canada leads in AI research, it lags in commercialization and lacks the domestic compute capacity and capital to fully leverage AI, with contributors emphasizing the need to act quickly to protect digital sovereignty. Common recommendations included focusing government efforts on strategic priorities, naming AI champions, investing in domestic AI development, reforming existing programs and expanding the country’s compute infrastructure.
While the government used AI tools to analyse the submissions, Betakit assigned a report to read all the task force submissions and has a summary of each here.
