TELUS to beta-test Indigenous-powered AI tool
By Karen Unland
TELUS will become the first beta tester of wâsikan kisewâtisiwin, a writing tool that uses artificial intelligence to help non-Indigenous people accurately communicate about Indigenous Peoples by correcting unconscious bias or racism in written material. "Our partnership with TELUS is an exciting step forward for our company and a significant validation of what we have created," founder and CEO Shani Gwin said in a release ahead of the announcement at Web Summit in Vancouver.
The "AI with heart" will be hosted on the TELUS Sovereign AI Factory, a Quebec-based supercomputer that keeps the data in Canada and is powered by renewable energy. That approach was important to Gwin. "For us, this partnership gives wâsikan kisewâtisiwin access to a data centre that uses less water, is powered by sustainable energy, and provides us the opportunity to continue our mission of building AI in a way that is not transactional but relational, and in an OCAP-friendly environment," she said, referring to the First Nations principles of ownership, control, access, and possession. For TELUS's part, it's a step toward reconciliation. "This partnership is a powerful example of what responsible AI innovation looks like in practice — keeping humans in the loop to create a more inclusive and trustworthy digital future for everyone," chief data and trust officer Pam Snively said in the announcement.
It's better to be involved in this world-changing technology than not, Gwin said on Episode 5 of the Settle Down podcast, which she co-hosts with three other Indigenous business leaders. "If we are involved in AI now, it could change every single system in the world," she said. "AI touches almost every system in our world right now, and if it doesn't, it's going to." Listen in for more on the origin story of wâsikan kisewâtisiwin, which translates as "kind electricity" in nêhiyawêwin, and hear further thoughts on Episode 6.
