Indigenous wisdom meets emerging technology

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Indigenous Wisdom and Technology: A Powerful Partnership for the Future

At Web Summit Vancouver 2025, Indigenous leaders and entrepreneurs Mr. James Delorme, Ms. Carol Anne Hilton, and Mr. Ethan Clark discussed the transformative potential of technology for Indigenous communities. The conversation explored how blockchain, AI, and other innovations can be leveraged to preserve cultural heritage, drive economic growth, and address systemic challenges.

Mr. Clark explained blockchain as a distributed public ledger, emphasizing its potential to empower Indigenous communities by granting them ownership of their data and digital assets. He highlighted the adaptability of blockchain technologies for preserving cultural knowledge while respecting traditional protocols. This includes tailoring governance structures and tokenizing assets to unlock the economic value of Indigenous lands and ecosystems.

Mr. Delorme stressed the importance of integrating Indigenous values and ancestral knowledge into technological design and implementation. He cautioned against viewing technology solely as a tool, emphasizing the need for human-centric design driven by Indigenous knowledge and principles. He advocated for incorporating Indigenous law, policy, and regulation into the development and application of technologies like generative AI.

The panel also discussed the potential of AI in language revitalization. Mr. Clark acknowledged the significant opportunity while noting the need for funding, training, and support for Indigenous entrepreneurs in the tech space. Mr. Delorme underscored the critical importance of language as the soul of a people, advocating for the development of AI tools that capture and understand Indigenous languages while respecting their moral and cultural layers.

Ms. Hilton, CEO and Founder of the Indigenomics Institute, highlighted the potential of the Indigenous economy in Canada, estimated at over $100 billion. She discussed the Indigenomics Institute’s work in modern Indigenous economic design and the development of an Indigenomics AI system to demonstrate and analyze Indigenous economic activity and value creation. Ms. Hilton emphasized the need to move beyond traditional GDP metrics and consider the broader impact of Indigenous economic activity.

The discussion also touched upon the importance of Indigenous-led technological innovations in creating alternative models of digital development. Ms. Hilton emphasized the need to focus on successes and projects that utilize technology for language revitalization and economic reconciliation. Mr. Clark shared his work with NationsFirst Technologies, a company focused on working with First Nations to build an independent blockchain network for tokenizing natural resources and addressing investment challenges.

Finally, the panel addressed the potential downsides of AI, particularly its environmental impact. Ms. Hilton expressed interest in Indigenous-led innovation in data centers, emphasizing the potential for Indigenous values and practices to drive sustainable solutions in this space. She highlighted the importance of Indigenous participation in partnerships and innovation to address the energy and water usage challenges associated with AI.