Weaving the Future: Indigenous Knowledge and the Ethics of AI – May 20, 2025
Session Description
May 20 2025 @ 5:30 pm - 7:00 pm
The 2025 Ian P. Sharp Lecture explores shaping AI with Indigenous ethical frameworks, balancing innovation with traditional knowledge.
As artificial intelligence becomes more deeply embedded in our lives, urgent questions arise about whose knowledge systems shape its design and whose are excluded. The 2025 Ian P. Sharp Lecture brings together two distinguished speakers to explore how AI can be shaped with respect, relationality, and responsibility, rooted in Indigenous ethical frameworks.
Key Themes:
- Incorporating Indigenous ethical frameworks into AI design and application
Balancing technological innovation with traditional knowledge systems
This year’s lecture will feature two expert speakers and one moderator:
Speakers:
- Dr. Morgan Vigil-Hayes — Associate Professor at Northern Arizona University’s School of Informatics, Computing, and Cyber Systems. Dr. Vigil-Hayes’ research addresses the information needs and practices of rural and tribal communities, focusing on bridging long-standing digital and social divides.
- Dr. Jennifer Wemigwans — Assistant Professor at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE) at the University of Toronto. A member of Wikwemikong Unceded Territory on Manitoulin Island, Ontario, Dr. Wemigwans specializes in the intersection of education, Indigenous knowledge, and new media technologies.
Moderator:
- Danica Pawlick-Potts — PhD candidate at Western University and Research Associate at York University. A member of the Alexis Nakota Sioux First Nation, Danica’s research focuses on Indigenous Data Sovereignty, fostering respectful data infrastructures, and the impacts of emerging technologies on Indigenous communities.
The Ian P. Sharp Lectureship was established at the Faculty of Information Studies at the University of Toronto in 1989 through a gift from I.P. Sharp Associates Ltd. (A Reuters Company). It is intended to bring internationally renowned individuals to the campus to explore the transformative effects of information practice.
We would be delighted to have you join us for this thought-provoking event. Light refreshments will be served.
