Indigenous Knowledges and Perspectives in the Age of GenAI: Ethical Considerations for Higher Education
SSRN, Vol.Series Paper No. 37
Southern Cross University Scholarship of Learning and Teaching Research Paper Series, Elsevier
04/11/2025
26
The integration of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) into higher education presents both opportunities and significant ethical risks for Indigenous communities, including cultural misrepresentation and data sovereignty conflicts. A systematic literature review revealed a critical gap, with no peer-reviewed studies addressing this intersection. The inclusion criteria for this review were modified, and this study analysed seven key journals and grey literature sources using thematic analysis and deductive mapping. Findings highlight major ethical concerns: systemic bias, inauthentic cultural representation, exclusion from GenAI development, and fundamental tensions between GenAI's logic and Indigenous ways of knowing. Critically, the analysis reveals that existing GenAI ethics frameworks fail to address core Indigenous principles such as relationality and collective ownership. In response, this paper argues for a fundamental shift from superficial consultation to genuine co-governance. Achieving this requires universities to champion Indigenous digital leadership, embed authentic cultural protocols, and prioritise data sovereignty in the design and deployment of GenAI.
- Indigenous Knowledges and Perspectives in the Age of GenAI: Ethical Considerations for Higher Education
- Zach Quince - Southern Cross UniversityAimee Andersen - Southern Cross UniversityKylie Day - Southern Cross University
- SSRN, Vol.Series Paper No. 37
- Southern Cross University Scholarship of Learning and Teaching Research Paper Series
- Elsevier
- 991013336290102368
- Centre for Teaching and Learning; Centre for Children and Young People; Faculty of Science and Engineering; Gnibi College of Indigenous Australian Peoples
- English
- Preprint
- Original Research - SoLT