artificial intelligence could play a constructive role in improving healthcare for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, but only if its development and deployment are led by Indigenous voices and knowledges, according to a new CSIRO-led report.
The scoping project, Artificial Intelligence for Healthcare in Australian Indigenous Communities: Scoping Project to Explore Relevance, engaged 53 leaders, clinicians, researchers and health service providers across four workshops between 2023 and 2025. It was co-led by CSIRO’s Australian e-Health Research Centre in partnership with the Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (VACCHO), the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Health Service (ATSICHS) Brisbane, the Centre of Excellence for Aboriginal Digital in Health (CEADH), and the Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet.
Aboriginal man from Iningai Country in Western Queensland and CSIRO research scientist Dr Andrew Goodman, the report’s lead author, said existing AI frameworks often lack the cultural detail needed to serve diverse communities. “In Australia, this has resulted in a gap in understanding of how AI can serve Indigenous peoples,” Dr Goodman said.
“Although these are early findings, this report provides a critical starting point for how to build responsible AI systems in technology such as apps and data collection to improve Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander healthcare outcomes,” said Dr Goodman.
Consultations identified three priorities for responsible AI in Indigenous health:
– Building AI health literacy and cultural appropriateness so communities understand how systems work, what data they use and how they support everyday care.
– Protecting Indigenous data sovereignty by ensuring health data is held, governed and used under the custodianship of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations.
– Supporting self-determination by placing Indigenous organisations at the centre of AI design, implementation and oversight.
The findings stress the need to embed cultural knowledge throughout AI design and governance. “If AI is to benefit our mob, it must reflect our voices, our data and our ways of knowing. Without Indigenous-led governance, there’s a real risk that AI will perpetuate bias and repeat the mistakes of the past,” said Dr Goodman.
Dr Jill Gallagher, a proud Gunditjmara woman from Western Victoria and CEO of VACCHO, said the project signals a shift in national digital health discussions. “We know that Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations can use AI as a powerful tool to support and strengthen their work, but it’s imperative that our Mob are in the driver’s seat to ensure true self-determination,” Dr Gallagher said.
The team is now using the scoping project’s findings to co-design Indigenous-led AI tools for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health.
