From principles to practice: Operationalising Indigenous data sovereignty in the age of AI and neurotechnology
Date: September 16 - 17, 2026
Location: IBI Headquarters, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
Hosted by: IBI Crosscultural Working Group
Building on the discussions from the IBI Crosscultural Working Group’s co-hosted side event with the United Nations Human Rights Council’s Expert Mechanism on the Right to Development in Geneva and from the presentations delivered during the United Nations Declaration on the Right to Development in New York, USA, the Working Group will be holding a workshop to address the ongoing discussion on the practical implementation of Indigenous data sovereignty in the age of AI and neurotechnology.
The workshop aims to:
Examine and discuss existing frameworks for operationalizing recommendations in practice across different domains (e.g., genetics, wastewater data, neurodata).
Reflect on historical accountability and how it should inform future governance approaches.
Identify what may be unique to AI-related consent and data governance for Indigenous Peoples.
Develop guidance or recommendations accordingly.
Further workshop details to follow.
The IBI Crosscultural Working Group gratefully acknowledges the funding support provided by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research - Institute of Indigenous Peoples' Health toward the workshop expenses.