Indigenous Identity Is Being Misrepresented by AI — Is Your Business Part of The Problem?

As someone who works at the intersection of culture, belonging and organizational excellence, I’ve seen AI used thoughtfully — helping companies create inclusive workplace policies, surfacing stories that honor cultural richness and even offering language that celebrates Indigenous Peoples’ Day in a way that reflects strength and possibility.

Yet, I’ve also seen the other side of the coin. AI has recreated old traumas, turning modern Indigenous lived experiences into flat, one-dimensional stereotypes. Instead of representing the present and future of Indigenous communities, AI all too often recirculates outdated caricatures.

This issue raises a hard but necessary question: Will AI become a tool for honoring Indigenous people, or will it deepen the cycle of exclusion, appropriation and distortion? Let’s take a closer look at how AI is failing Indigenous people.

Related: It’s Not Enough to Simply Acknowledge Indigenous People’s Day. Here Are 4 Ways Employers Can Take Action, Help and Support Native Americans.

When AI violates consent

OpenAI’s Whisper speech recognition tool was trained on thousands of hours of audio, including te reo Māori — an Indigenous language of New Zealand. Local activists raised alarms that their cultural data was harvested without consent. To many people, this looked like “digital re-colonization.”

When AI picks up Indigenous languages without permission, it risks not only distorting the culture but also stripping communities of control over their heritage. Language is sacred. It represents identity, history and belonging. For Māori advocates, the fear was clear: AI companies benefiting from their language without safeguards was another chapter in a long history of outsiders taking without asking.

Related: It’s Not Enough to Simply Acknowledge Indigenous People’s Day. Here Are 4 Ways Employers Can Take Action, Help and Support Native Americans

Why accuracy matters: Adobe’s missteps with Aboriginal representation

In Australia, Adobe faced backlash when some AI-generated stock images labeled “Indigenous Australians” were found to depict generic and culturally inaccurate portrayals of Aboriginal people. The images featured irrelevant tattoos and body markings that didn’t reflect their real, sacred significance found in Aboriginal communities.

Critics described it as “tech colonialism” — a flattening of complex, distinct traditions into one-size-fits-all tropes. When AI paints Indigenous people inaccurately, it sends a message that Indigenous identity can be commodified, simplified, or cheapened for mainstream consumption.

MidJourney’s insensitive tropes

One of the most visible examples comes from AI art platforms like MidJourney. When people prompt it with keywords, “Native American,” the results too often look like scenes from an old Hollywood movie: men in feathered headdresses, war paint, and tipis in the background.

The Indigenous people of today are professors, software engineers, entrepreneurs, artists and leaders in their communities. They live in cities and reservations, wear the fashion you and I do, and innovate within and outside their traditions. Yet AI’s imagination seems stuck in outdated tropes, erasing the modern Indigenous experience in favor of old history.

Why entrepreneurs should pay attention

If you’re an entrepreneur using AI tools to generate images, text, or branding that references Indigenous peoples, this is more than a cultural issue. It’s also about integrity, trust, and being on the right side of history.

Knowingly publishing AI-generated content that misrepresents or stereotypes Indigenous people risks damaging your credibility, alienates communities, and may even spark legal or reputational battles.

But beyond business risk, there’s a deeper responsibility. Entrepreneurs, especially those committed to equity, have a responsibility to help AI tell more accurate, respectful stories.

Related: Why Every Entrepreneur Must Prioritize Ethical AI — Now

Three ways entrepreneurs can get it right

1. Audit your AI output

Before you hit publish, ask yourself: Does this content honor or flatten cultures? Audit your AI outputs with a critical eye. If an image of Indigenous people looks generic, stereotypical or inaccurate, don’t use it. If AI-generated text leans on outdated tropes, just step away.

Think of it this way: If your business is committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace, your AI-generated content should reflect the same values. If it doesn’t, it’s not just a branding mistake; it’s a breach of trust.

Related: Representation In AI Development Matters — Follow These 5 Principles to Make AI More Inclusive For All

2. Trust and support data sovereignty

Indigenous communities worldwide are advocating for data sovereignty, the right to control and govern the use of their data, including language, stories and images.

Organizations like the Collaboratory for Indigenous Data Governance and the Indigenous Protocol and AI Working Group are leading the charge. They say that AI shouldn’t use Indigenous data without consent, and when it does, it should be to the benefit of Indigenous communities.

For entrepreneurs, this means choosing tools, datasets and partnerships that align with these principles. It also means amplifying Indigenous-led AI initiatives. Supporting data sovereignty is about saying: your voices matter, your knowledge matters and we’re following your lead.

3. Consult and partner with indigenous experts

One of the best ways to avoid mistakes is to bring Indigenous voices to the table.

If your business is creating AI-driven campaigns, products or strategies that involve Indigenous people, partner with Indigenous experts. Seek consultants who understand both culture and technology. Collaborate with Indigenous creatives, data scientists and entrepreneurs.

Representation matters not just in the output but in the process. By ensuring Indigenous people help design, test and review your AI use, you move beyond “checking a box” to fostering real belonging.

Final thoughts

AI isn’t neutral. It reflects the biases, histories and choices of the humans who design and train it. That means we have a choice, too: we can allow AI to perpetuate old stories, or we can demand it become a tool of belonging and equity.

For Indigenous peoples, AI should never mean erasure, misrepresentation or exploitation. Instead, it should uplift their stories, amplify their innovations and reflect the diversity of their present-day lives.

And for entrepreneurs, the responsibility is clear: if you use AI, use it with intention. Don’t let convenience outweigh cultural accuracy. Don’t let speed replace responsibility. Don’t let technology silence voices it should be amplifying. Be on the right side of history.

As someone who works at the intersection of culture, belonging and organizational excellence, I’ve seen AI used thoughtfully — helping companies create inclusive workplace policies, surfacing stories that honor cultural richness and even offering language that celebrates Indigenous Peoples’ Day in a way that reflects strength and possibility.

Yet, I’ve also seen the other side of the coin. AI has recreated old traumas, turning modern Indigenous lived experiences into flat, one-dimensional stereotypes. Instead of representing the present and future of Indigenous communities, AI all too often recirculates outdated caricatures.

This issue raises a hard but necessary question: Will AI become a tool for honoring Indigenous people, or will it deepen the cycle of exclusion, appropriation and distortion? Let’s take a closer look at how AI is failing Indigenous people.