Posoh Netaehnaehwamakank (greetings to all my relatives). I volunteered to write the introduction for this edition of the TCJ on artificial intelligence (AI) because it was an opportunity to learn more about this highly relevant technology. When I first started thinking about AI, much of my understanding was based on older movies I grew up with, like Blade Runner, The Terminator, or The Matrix. However, newer films like The Creator helped deepen my understanding of the link between the morality of society, its influence on technology, and the consequences that further shape our societies.

American Indians, like all Indigenous peoples, have wrestled with the issue of adapting technologies developed by cultures outside their own. Unlike Western-based tech, Indigenous technologies operated mainly within value systems and principles that connected the people to the place before colonization. The advancement of Western-based technology has continued rapidly since the Industrial Revolution, which prompts the question whether this has outpaced social values and norms. Further, what are the consequences of this rapid adaptation of technology? Do we continue to build more technology to correct the consequences of past decisions? How far can we go in exceeding these limits?

Tribal colleges and universities (TCUs) stand at the center of helping our tribal communities with language and cultural revitalization efforts while preparing our students to navigate this contemporary world. A renewed focus on AI has emerged in our discussions as we realize the extent and prevalence of these tools in our academic and administrative functions.

During the October 2023 AIHEC Native Languages Summit, participants discussed the potential for AI to assist in language revitalization. One example shared was the chance to scan old archived documents written in Indigenous languages and use AI to help interpret and sort them, creating more access to language resources. This would address current limitations of funding, time, and people that would typically be needed to review archives, make copies, and then interpret the writing to generate valid documents. The concern, however, is what this means regarding cultural appropriation, intellectual property issues, or loss of future access to languages and other uncertainties.

Since accepting this writing assignment, I have attended many other conferences and discussions on AI’s potential harms and benefits. Such discussions will continue as TCUs and all higher education institutions wrestle with solutions that range from complete bans of generative AI in the classroom to designing new modules and courses that teach the ethical use of AI.

Acknowledgment: This column was written by the author with assistance from Grammarly, “the AI writing partner that helps people at every stage of the writing process.”

Eneq,

Christopher M. Caldwell (Menominee)
President of the College of Menominee Nation
Tribal College Journal Advisory Board Member