KOTA KINABALU: August 19, 2026 — The rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI) could lead to the loss of indigenous traditional knowledge if information pertaining to these communities is fed into the technology without proper safeguards, a Sabah official has warned.
Dato Patinggi Andrew Ambrose, Chairman of the Technical Coordinating Committee for the Sabah 2026 World Indigenous Peoples Day Celebration, said AI still has limitations in providing accurate information about indigenous peoples.
“We stand to lose all our traditional knowledge when we feed that information into AI,” he said in an interview on the Santai Jaba TV Sabah programme yesterday.
He noted that the rise of AI also raises questions about indigenous rights, which may be affected by the technology, particularly among the younger generation.
As such, the issue will be brought to the Sabah 2026 World Indigenous Peoples Day Celebration, which runs from August 21 to 23 at the Koisan Cultural Village (KCV).
According to Andrew, Sabah has combined this year’s United Nations theme, “Indigenous Women and Midwifery”, with last year’s theme, “Shaping the Future of AI”.
He said the theme of indigenous women and midwifery is significant because the role of women in the community extends beyond assisting childbirth — they also nurture and educate the new generation.
“Midwifery is not something that is always discussed,” he said.
The theme will be explored in a special session featuring indigenous women from Borneo, led by Datuk Joanna Kitingan, during a conference on August 22.
The conference will encompass eight sessions covering indigenous knowledge, education and rights, with nearly 400 participants and delegates from across Borneo.
The outcome of these discussions will be consolidated into the Kota Kinabalu Declaration, which will be submitted to the United Nations, the governments of Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei, and ASEAN.
Beyond serving as a discussion platform, the celebration will also open KCV to the public over two days for conferences, exhibitions and cultural activities.
Highlights include The International Indigenous Cultural Ambassador Gala Evening, a traditional costume parade featuring attire from Sabah, Sarawak, Kalimantan and Brunei, along with activities for youth and community elders.
Andrew stressed that community participation, especially among the youth, is vital to ensure that issues of indigenous rights and knowledge remain understood in the face of rapid technological advancement.
