Structural exclusion of Indigenous voices undermines global AI governance legitimacy
Original framing: “Without indigenous inclusion, AI governance faces legitimacy crisis” — bing news
Indigenous communities have long resisted the imposition of external governance models, advocating for self-determination in knowledge systems. Their exclusion from AI governance reflects a broader pattern of epistemic violence and dispossession, where their knowledge is commodified or ignored.
The legitimacy crisis in AI governance is not merely a technical or ethical issue but a deeply structural one rooted in colonial histories of knowledge extraction and dispossession.
Indigenous exclusion from AI governance reflects broader patterns of epistemic violence and reinforces Western-centric power structures that prioritize profit over people and planet. By centering Indigenous epistemologies, governance models can shift from extractive to regenerative, fostering AI systems that promote justice, sustainability, and cultural preservation. Historical parallels with colonial science and modern intellectual property regimes reveal the urgent need for decolonial approaches to AI. Cross-cultural perspectives, from African Ubuntu to Andean Sumak Kawsay, offer alternative ethical frameworks that challenge the anthropocentric logic of current AI systems. A systemic solution requires not only policy reforms but a fundamental reordering of who gets to define knowledge, who benefits from technology, and how power is distributed in the digital age.