TRU’s new AI project, horAIzon, claims to be a technology inspired by Indigenous ways of knowing and sustainable research. To understand the technology, The Omega sought to unravel this major project and had the privilege of interviewing two significant, albeit different perspectives on TRU’s growing acceptance of AI on campus. The Omega met with Dr. Ghanzanfar Latif, a leading AI researcher at TRU, as well as with friends at Cplul’kw’ten, TRU’s centre for Indigenous research and well-being. It appears that there are still logistics to settle, and conversations to be had, before the technology can be fully integrated and operational in the university community.
AI technologies, such as large-learning language models like ChatGPT or Claude, operate algorithmically and generate responses based on already accessible information online. As an archive of published information, the Internet is scanned immediately without human guidance. Yet, for Indigenous communities, human interaction is integral for learning.
The Secwepemcúĺecw in particular honour and prioritize story-telling, oral histories and community as vital components to knowledge-sharing. Timeless traditions like hunting and healing cannot be taught through a screen, or a carefully-crafted prompt. “[The Secwepemcúĺecw] are all about the land and the old ways, but a lot of Indigenous people that I know of do not like AI to begin with. They complain when there’s a poster for an event that’s made by AI,” Lex Edwards, Ts’kw’aylaxw Indigenous Student Engagement Coordinator, said. “There’s always somebody in the comment section talking about how much water is used. [There are] people out there, artists, who will design a poster for you really quickly.”
For Edwards, AI detracts from the learned traditions that are crucial to knowledge-sharing. Unlike an elder, AI receives an extraordinary input of information and can provide results within seconds. Though, the process fails to account for the context in which learning occurs, and the nuance lost without human interaction.
“There are some things that aren’t recorded,” Edwards said. “They’re just taught and passed down; you have to sort of be there to learn it. You could go and ask AI to teach you about all the plants on campus and learn about them. Or, you can ask [Marie Sandy] if she can take you out and show you with the teachings that were passed down to her.”
Lead researcher of TRU’s horAIzon project, Dr. Ghanzafar Latif, however, maintains a different perspective. One that believes AI will protect Indigenous histories. “[Canada] has some Indigenous communities where we have only a few people left who know the language. [Airini] asked me if we can use AI in a way that can save the language for future generations so that they might be able to talk to us,” Latif said. “That is what is going to happen by using AI. Right now, we have hundreds of documents that are written in the format of research articles, blog posts, social media chats. AI will use all of that and then create a virtual entity that will allow the future generations to see [elders] and to communicate virtually.”
Such grand plans for AI technology raise concerns given the tumultuous history of decisions being made for Indigenous communities without being consulted, and long-standing histories of systemic and institutional genocide committed by settlers. For major decisions, such as data and infrastructure, consulting Indigenous nations is a necessity given they are the stewards and knowledge-keepers of the land.
“Tech giants are realizing that a lot of non-Indigenous communities see how destructive [AI] is and how much environmental pressure it puts on areas. So [tech giants] are switching over to Indigenous communities because they realize it’s a lot easier to pull the wool over our eyes,” Marie Sandy, Secwépemc Manager of Indigenous Student Services, said. “Consultation has become more of a bad word in Indigenous communities because when we hear consultation, all we hear is a meeting and a checkbox. Decisions are going forward, and it’s performative”.
Universities truly are burdened with the impossible task of adapting alongside AI, yet there remain logistical gaps when it comes to managing the dynamically changing technology.
One major concern demonstrated by students and community members, both Indigenous and settlers, is the environmental impact data centres will impose on the already delicate climate. In prior articles, The Omega has addressed the current datacentre’s infrastructure, which features a closed-loop design that will require a single-fill of water for the systems to remain cool. It is proposed that the excess heat energy from datacentres will be diverted to buildings on-campus during the winter to keep them warm. Yet, the question remains of what happens to the heat during wildfire season in the summer? According to Latif, there have been no concrete solutions for mitigating excess energy generated by data centres.
“We need to define the mechanism which will take time, but we can do it. We need to have a mechanism to transfer the energy from the source to the destination, so there is required investment in engineering work involved. But once we have the setup, we will have free energy and I think we can fix the atmosphere,” Latif said.
“The main thing is the minimal need for water in [closed-loop designs]. Right now, we are producing heat when we drive our vehicles. Those engines cool down because we have some water or coolant. We need to focus on that also, but in data centres that is the problem in the long run,” Latif said. “A good thing in Canada is that the temperature most of the time is low compared to the rest of the world. [Saudi Arabia] used to be 47 degrees or 50 degrees and they are still investing”
The decision for the University to adopt the technology has been discussed in conferences, seminars and meetings, yet a disconnect remains between the University’s actions and their commitments towards truth, reconciliation and sustainability. AI is surely not going to disappear any time soon, which is why candid conversations on responsible use are a priority.