Education on Country: Peta-Anne Toohey on AI and Data Sovereignty

In this episode of the AI in Education Podcast, hosts Dan and Ray welcome Peta-Anne Toohey, Social Reciprocity Manager at Indigital, Australia's first Indigenous-owned digital training company. Together they explore how generative AI intersects with Indigenous knowledge systems, and why cultural safety, data sovereignty, and community-led design must be central to any tech or education initiative.
Peta shares powerful stories from her work in Cape York, where communities are building digital skills on Country through augmented reality, drones, and caring-for-country technologies. She unpacks what it means to create culturally safe technologies, how free, prior and informed consent should shape AI use, and why decolonising how we think about technology is essential for equity in education.
It's a fascinating discussion on how AI can empower, or endanger, Indigenous communities, and what educators and universities can learn from truly collaborative design.
Find Peta on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/peta-anne-toohey
Links - Organisations, people and projects mentioned
InDigital - indigital.net.au Local Contexts - localcontexts.org Terri Janke - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terri_Janke
Google's Indigenous Language Projects
• Google and language researchers team up to teach AI Aboriginal English sbs.com.au/nitv/article/google-and-researchers…
• Woolaroo: a new tool for exploring indigenous languages blog.google/outreach-initiatives/arts-culture/…
Microsoft's Indigenous AI Projects
• Modis delivers first-of-its-kind Aboriginal language app to help break down communication barriers news.microsoft.com/en-au/features/modis-delive…
• AI technology helps protect sea turtle nests from feral pigs in north Queensland abc.net.au/news/2021-02-18/turtle-feral-pig-th…
• AI transforms Kakadu management news.microsoft.com/en-au/features/ai-transform…