There is a lack of clarity on the role artificial intelligence (AI) might play in improving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander healthcare outcomes. This report provides an evidence base of the applicability, concerns and opportunities of AI as it relates to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health. Addressing this gap is crucial, if Indigenous voices are not actively included in shaping AI’s future, its potential to support and empower Indigenous healthcare will remain largely unrealised.

The scoping project engaged 53 leaders, clinicians, researchers, and health service providers across four workshops between 2023 and 2025. The consultations identified three critical priorities for responsible AI use in Indigenous health:

1. building AI health literacy and cultural appropriateness by ensuring communities understand how AI works, what data it uses, and how it can support day-to-day care.
2. protecting Indigenous data sovereignty by guaranteeing that health data is held, governed, and used under the custodianship of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations.
3. supporting self-determination by placing Indigenous organisations at the centre of AI design, implementation, and oversight.

The findings underscore the importance of embedding cultural knowledge in the design of AI systems.