The European Union has called for Indigenous Peoples to be genuine partners in shaping artificial intelligence frameworks, in a statement delivered on 16 July 2026 at the 19th session of the United Nations Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in Geneva. Speaking under agenda item 8, a panel discussion on the rights of Indigenous Peoples and AI, the EU delegation stressed that AI must not reinforce existing inequalities or enable the misuse of Indigenous knowledge, data or cultural expressions.
The statement, issued by the Delegation of the European Union to the UN in Geneva, reaffirmed the EU's commitment to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and international human rights law. The EU argued that AI should be safe, secure, trustworthy, human-centric and developed in full respect for human rights, including the principle of free, prior and informed consent and Indigenous data governance. The EU welcomed the growing number of Indigenous-led initiatives demonstrating how AI can contribute to language revitalization, education and environmental stewardship, while reflecting Indigenous knowledge systems and priorities. The statement posed a question to the Expert Mechanism: as AI governance evolves globally, how can states best ensure that Indigenous Peoples are genuine partners in shaping AI frameworks, while safeguarding Indigenous data sovereignty and enabling communities to benefit from these technologies on their own terms?
The intervention reflects the EU's broader push for human-centric AI regulation, including the EU AI Act adopted in 2024, which sets rules for high-risk AI systems and emphasizes fundamental rights. The statement did not announce new EU measures but reiterated existing policy positions in a multilateral forum. The Expert Mechanism session, held from 13 to 17 July 2026, included panel discussions on AI and Indigenous rights, bringing together member states, Indigenous representatives and experts.