Abstract 

• Read more about Avoiding the Next Digital Divide: Defining Digital Sovereignty for Tribal Nations in the AI Age

• Read more about Defining and Putting into Practice Tribal Digital Sovereignty

• Read more about An Examination of Federal Tribal Broadband Funding Post-COVID

• Read more about History of Advocacy in Tribal Telephony and Telecommunications, 1980–2020

• Read more about Journal of Community Informatics Special Issue: Charting Sovereignty in the Digital Age: Tribal Leadership, Broadband, and the Rise of Tribal Digital Sovereignty

Background

• Read more about Explainer: Tribal Nations Criticize FCC’s Tribal Consultation Efforts on Proposed NEPA and NHPA Rule Updates

On September 3, 2025 the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) issued a new National Policy Memorandum establishing a comprehensive framework for processing Rights-of-Way applications for broadband infrastructure deployment projects on Indian trust or restricted lan

• Read more about Fact Sheet: Bureau of Indian Affairs Publishes Framework for Processing Rights-of-Way Applications for Broadband Infrastructure Projects

Federal policy and directive around artificial intelligence (AI) has shifted considerably in recent years. In 2023, President Biden issued  EO 14110, Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Development and Use of Artificial Intelligence, which emphasized safety, equity, worker protections, and privacy in federal AI policy.

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For Tribal Nations, the rise of AI represents a critical juncture. This technology holds potential to expand resources and enhance access across key industries such as healthcare, law and finance. With intentional policy frameworks and proactive Tribal governance, AI could strengthen self-determination and sovereignty. But without strategic oversight and culturally-informed design, it also risks deepening existing disparities; exacerbating employment displacement, cultural misrepresentation and worsening gaps in digital access.

• Read more about Tribal Sovereignty in the Age of AI: Exploring Opportunities and Risks for Tribal Nations