Discussion on ChatGPT's Role in Māori Data Sovereignty

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In the digital age, the use of artificial intelligence (AI) has become increasingly prevalent, with ChatGPT, a generative AI product by OpenAI, demonstrating its ability to produce good quality Maori language. However, this development has raised concerns about the origins of the data used for this language.

Data sovereignty, the right of individuals and communities to have authority and control over their own data, is of particular importance for First Nations peoples and cultures, including the Maori. This is crucial in addressing historical theft and colonialism.

Sonny Ngatai, a te reo Maori champion, discussed the history of Maori language revitalization and his passion for the language in a video interview. He expressed optimism about the survival of Maori language with the help of AI, but also emphasized the importance of protecting Maori intellectual property rights, particularly for stories, narratives, and tikanga.

Associate Professor Te Taka Keegan expressed concern that if ChatGPT produces good quality Maori, it might shift the language from a traditional form to a ChatGPT version, potentially leading to a loss of Maori sovereignty over the language. Ngapera Riley, who works with data and te reo Maori, reminded people that ChatGPT should not be used as a primary source and requires human auditing to prevent misuse.

Riley believes ChatGPT can be helpful in preserving and using te reo Maori, but requires human oversight to prevent misuse. He highlighted the need for active Maori involvement in the development and use of AI technologies.

Ngatai wants to see te reo Maori used in various contexts, including technology like ChatGPT. He suggested that if AI could be isolated, trained by Maori, and controlled at an iwi level, Maori could retain sovereignty over the technology.

The Royal Society Te Apārangi's 2023 report on data sovereignty outlines its importance in Aotearoa New Zealand. Ngapera Riley's company, Figure.NZ, works to democratize New Zealand data and has concerns about how it might be gathered and misused.

Dr. Karaitiana Taiuru presented at the 2023 Gibbons Lecture Series, discussing the potential for AI to decolonize and empower Maori. He emphasized the need for sovereign AI systems built co-design with Māori communities to retain control, reflect Māori worldviews, and support language preservation sustainably.

Frameworks like Te Mana Raraunga – Māori Data Sovereignty Charter and Taiuru Māori AI Ethics Guidelines are guiding AI projects involving Te Reo Maori to handle the language with care, ensuring correct use, respect for sacred knowledge, and protection against misuse or extraction of Indigenous data as mere content. For instance, AIHOA, a Māori-focused AI tool powered by OpenAI’s GPT-4o, actively avoids generating iwi-specific content or knowledge with spiritual significance and uses validated resources to support accurate Te Reo Maori representation.

Despite these efforts, challenges remain when commercial AI models like ChatGPT ingest publicly available Māori content without explicit permission, raising concerns of data colonialism and clash with Te Tiriti (Treaty) obligations around digital sovereignty. Some scholarly networks in Aotearoa have issued statements emphasizing that AI threatens data sovereignty and the integrity of Te Reo by enabling forms of cultural dispossession and misuse of language data.

This tension underscores the need for sovereign AI systems built co-design with Māori communities to retain control, reflect Māori worldviews, and support language preservation sustainably. Efforts toward Māori-led AI sovereignty and ethical AI practices aim to secure the language’s protection and respectful use in emerging technologies.

Artificial intelligence (AI) has a significant role in various sectors of modern life, such as fashion-and-beauty, food-and-drink, home-and-garden, and sports like tennis.
The use of AI in education-and-self-development, learning, and skills-training can provide valuable resources for personal-growth and career-development.
Social-media platforms are increasingly incorporating AI for content moderation, recommendation systems, and artificial intelligence-generated content.
As AI becomes more common in our daily lives, it's essential to be mindful of data sovereignty, particularly for Indigenous peoples like the Maori, who are concerned about their intellectual property rights and cultural preservation.
The Royal Society Te Apārangi's report emphasizes the importance of data sovereignty in Aotearoa New Zealand and encourages the democratization of data.
Frameworks such as Te Mana Raraunga – Māori Data Sovereignty Charter help guide AI projects in dealing with Te Reo Maori with care and respecting its spiritual significance.
Efforts towards Māori-led AI sovereignty aim to secure protection and respectful use of the Maori language in emerging technologies like entertainment and AI tools.
ChatGPT, an AI product by OpenAI, has demonstrated its ability to produce good quality Maori language, but it raises concerns about the origins of the data used for this language and potential data colonialism.