August 20, 2025 An Edmonton-based company says it has been building artificial intelligence with maternal instincts — a concept recently endorsed by Geoffrey Hinton, one of the world’s most prominent AI researchers.
At a conference last week, Hinton, often called the “Godfather of AI,” warned that future systems need to be designed with maternal qualities to avoid controlling humans. He also said he was unaware of anyone pursuing such an approach. But wâsikan kisêwâtisiwin, an Indigenous-led startup in Edmonton, has been working on what it calls “matriarchal AI” since 2021.
“To hear someone so influential in the AI space not only agree but endorse that AI needs to come from the perspective of a nurturing mother was very exciting,” said Shani Gwin, founder and CEO of the company. She described the model as “AI with heart,” designed to emphasize fairness, accountability and inclusivity. The platform is guided by an Elders Advisory Circle to ensure it reflects Indigenous values and avoids systemic bias.
The AI system, a language assistant developed in partnership with the Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute, is intended to help governments, businesses and educators plan and communicate with a people-first perspective.
The company says it aims to reduce what it terms “digital harm” for more than 5.5 million Indigenous Peoples in Canada and the United States, with potential benefits for vulnerable groups worldwide.
wâsikan kisêwâtisiwin was chosen in 2024 as one of 30 Solvers by MIT Solve from more than 2,200 global applicants. The prototype is expected to reach minimum viable product status by the end of 2025.
