Belonging and Technology

Research Focus

We explore a relational framework for artificial intelligence by contrasting modern extractive technologies with the Indigenous Anangu principle of Kanyini. We argue that current AI development is rooted in a philosophy of “mine-ness” and disconnection, which prioritizes corporate ownership and data harvesting over ecological and social health. To counter this, we propose a new technological cosmology built upon four pillars: creation stories (Tjukurrpa), place (Ngura), kinship (Walytja), and spirit (Kurunpa). By shifting from a focus on efficiency and prediction toward service and reciprocity, we envision AI as a participant in relational stewardship rather than a tool for exploitation. However, we emphasize that this transformation requires genuine Indigenous governance and the redistribution of power to avoid further colonial appropriation of sacred knowledge. Our work suggests that for AI to truly belong, it must be re-rooted in a web of unconditional responsibility for all of creation.