Author: Pacific Data Sovereignty

Pacific Data Sovereignty and AI: Our Future, Our Voices By Dr Jacinta Fa’alili-Fidow

Post author By Pacific Data Sovereignty
Post date October 17, 2025

Pacific Data Sovereignty and AI: Our Future, Our Voices By Dr Jacinta Fa’alili-Fidow

About the Author
Dr Jacinta Fa’alili-Fidow is one of the General Manager’s of Moana Connect and a leading advocate for Pacific health and data sovereignty. She was invited by the Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation to share her insights on the future of Pacific data, artificial intelligence, and the importance of Pacific leadership in this space.

Pacific Data as Living Taonga
Data is a living taonga that reflects and derives from our history, present realities, and future aspirations (Moana Research, 2021). For Pacific peoples, data is much more than numbers—it is broad, nuanced, and deeply connected to our values and relationships.

What Does Pacific Data Sovereignty Mean?
Pacific data sovereignty is about more than just protection and participation in data processes. It seeks to address historic gaps by centring Pacific voices and perspectives, enabling transformative decision-making and positive change. As Dr ‘Ana Taufeulungaki said at the first Pacific Data Sovereignty seminar in 2019:

“Data Sovereignty is not just about ownership of the collection, storage, retrieval, accessibility, application and dissemination of individual groups and cultural information. It is about taking charge of our own destiny.”

This vision ensures all Pacific peoples are seen, heard, and able to thrive in today’s and tomorrow’s society.

AI and the Pacific: Challenges and Opportunities
With artificial intelligence, the future is already here. In 2024, the Pacific Data Sovereignty Committee brought together Pacific digital leaders to discuss the impact of AI on our communities. Speakers such as Nu’uali’i Eteroa Lafaele and Dr Karaitiana Taiuru emphasised the need for Pacific expertise early in AI development and called for investment in digital skills and training, so our communities aren’t left behind. Business leaders Peter Lucas-Jones (Te Hiku Media) and Luke Fitzgerald (Frankly AI) highlighted AI’s potential to empower Pacific and Māori communities, especially in health, and stressed the importance of seizing economic opportunities through tech training. Amy Dove (Deloitte) spoke about busting myths around AI, while also acknowledging the risks, such as bias in data.

Collective Action for the Future
Balancing risks and opportunities in a fast-changing digital environment is challenging. The Pacific Data Sovereignty Committee remains committed to collective action—promoting accountability and ethics, protecting cultural knowledge, and seeking investment in capability building, especially for our youth. By combining Artificial Intelligence with Ancestral Intelligence, we can ensure Pacific communities are ready to face both the threats and opportunities that digital advances bring.

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Advisory Group

Papali’i Dr. Suitafa Debbie Ryan

Post author By Pacific Data Sovereignty
Post date September 9, 2025

Papali’i Dr. Suitafa Debbie Ryan is a member of the Pacific Data Sovereignty Expert Advisory Group and is the Principal and founder of Pacific Perspectives (2008) Ltd.

She is a primary care physician who has held senior positions in community primary care and public service organisations and she has advocated for equity for Pacific people in Aotearoa New Zealand through her roles on Boards, Ministerial and Advisory Committees. Her research focus is to provide evidence for decision-makers at different levels, that can support policy change and the delivery of services that are culturally responsive and tailored to local contexts.

Debbie has served as a Ministerial appointment to a range of public sector committees including the Counties Manukau District Health Board, the NZ Lotteries Community Committee, the Education Guardians Group and the Covid-19 Independent Continuous Review, Improvement and Advice Group. She has also supported the establishment of a Pacific policy function in the Aotearoa New Zealand health reforms as part of the Transition Unit team at DPMC. She is an honorary member of the NZ College of Public Health Medicine and a recipient of the Prime Ministers Award for public management at Victoria University, the Pasifika Medical Association Life Award, and the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to the Pacific community and health.

Since 2011, Debbie has partnered with Pacific nursing leaders to design and deliver Pacific nursing workforce and leadership development programmes.

Advisory Group

Dr. Gerard Sonder

Post author By Pacific Data Sovereignty
Post date September 9, 2025

Dr. Gerard Sonder is a member of the Pacific Data Sovereignty Expert Advisory Group.

Dr. Gerard is a Public Health Physician and infectious disease Epidemiologist from the Netherlands. He worked at the Public Health Service, Department of Infectious Disease Control Amsterdam from 2000 to 2018 in different roles, heading the department from 2013.

He has been associated with the University of Amsterdam since 2009 for research and publication purposes. His research focuses on the epidemiology and control of infectious diseases and the evaluation of public health guidelines based on routinely collected, surveillance, and research data with a particular focus on equity. He holds a PhD in the evaluation of Public Health Programmes for Infectious Diseases.

Gerard relocated to New Zealand in 2019 and held positions with the University of Otago, the Institute of Environmental Science and Research Ltd (ESR) and the Ministry of Health in the national surveillance of infectious diseases including COVID-19. He has been involved in many different projects, such as the response to the NZ measles outbreak 2019 and the response to COVID-19 for Pacific populations.

Advisory Group

Dr. Sam Manuela

Post author By Pacific Data Sovereignty
Post date September 9, 2025

Dr. Sam Manuela is a member of the Pacific Data Sovereignty Expert Advisory Group.

Dr. Sam Manuela completed his tertiary education with a Bachelor of Science (BSc), a Bachelor of Science (Honours/Hons), and a Master’s and PhD specializing in Pacific Psychology, within the University of Auckland.

Fortunate timing at the end of his PhD led him straight into a lecturing role in Psychology at the University.

Sam primarily has an interest in measuring ethnic identity derived from Pacific knowledge, and how this can inform and combine with traditional psychology methods.

Trustee Member

Amy Dove

Post author By Pacific Data Sovereignty
Post date September 9, 2025

Amy Dove sits on the Pacific Data Sovereignty Board of Trustees and is a forensic partner at Deloitte with over 25 years of experience in legal technology and analytics.

She leads Deloitte’s Discovery and Data Management practice in Aotearoa New Zealand and Deloitte’s dedicated Pasifika Services Group – Pås Peau.

She leads teams supporting some of New Zealand’s largest organisations to manage data and respond to litigation and regulatory disclosure requests.

She also advises clients and is a frequent speaker on safe, ethical, responsible and trustworthy Artificial Intelligence use and implementation and is an Executive Council member of the AI Forum.

Advisory Group

Assoc. Professor Polly Atatoa-Carr

Post author By Pacific Data Sovereignty
Post date September 9, 2025

Associate Professor Polly Atatoa Carr is a member of the Pacific Data Sovereignty Exepert Advisory Group and sits on the Pacific Data Sovereignty Board of Trustees.

Her research and clinical practice focuses on the broader determinants of population health and wellbeing equity, particularly for tamariki and rangatahi/mapū within the context of whānau and community. Polly is passionate about developing robust evidence to support population health and policy translation, and is committed to Te Tiriti o Waitangi, anti-racism intervention, equity, social justice and community empowerment.

In addition to her role as Associate Professor of Population Health in Te Ngira (Institute for Population Research) at the University of Waikato, Polly is also a Public Health Physician within Child and Youth Health at Te Whatu Ora Waikato, and National Director of Training for the New Zealand College of Public Health Medicine.

Advisory Group Trustee Member

Malaetogia Dr. Jacinta Fa’alili-Fidow

Post author By Pacific Data Sovereignty
Post date September 9, 2025

Malaetogia Dr. Jacinta is a member of the Pacific Data Sovereignty Expert Advisory Group and sits on the Pacific Data Sovereignty Board of Trustees.

Malaetogia Dr. Jacinta Fa’alili-Fidow has extensive leadership and management experience in health research, public health and Pacific wellbeing in New Zealand. Her work aims to bridge government, academia and Pacific communities to champion authentic positive change for Pacific. As the founding Managing Director of Moana Research, Jacinta empowers the importance of Pacific world-views, and the prominence of self-determination in all Moana Research work, including evaluation, research and advocacy.

Jacinta has worked for Pacific health provider WestFono, as Manager Pacific Health Research with the Health Research Council, and as Senior Advisor, Pacific for the Public Health Group in the Ministry of Health. After the Ministry of Health, Jacinta was shoulder tapped to manage TAHA Pacific Maternal and Child Health Service at the University of Auckland.

Having completed her Master of Public Health (Honours), Jacinta then completed a PhD at the Centre for Longitudinal Studies – Growing Up in New Zealand Study, investigating the concept of Resilience among Pacific families within the cohort.

Advisory Group Trustee Member

Ivan Tava

Post author By Pacific Data Sovereignty
Post date August 7, 2025

Ivan Tava is the Trustee Chairman of the Pacific Data Sovereignty Expert Advisory Group.

Having leadership and team management capabilities at a national and regional level, Ivan has significant expertise in leading, coordinating, and prioritising to achieve goals. His qualifications, professional experience and unique skills reflect robust knowledge of biculturalism in Aotearoa and continuing commitment to Pasifika Education and communities.

His proven understanding of the political environment and strategic implications on the project and programme implementation; has enabled and established responsive work plans. Furthermore, his extensive networks and is a well-respected member of the public sector with particularly strong relationships and credibility within the Māori and Pasifika communities throughout New Zealand have been beneficial

Reflecting on the Pacific Data Sovereignty AI Webinar

Post author By Pacific Data Sovereignty
Post date November 19, 2024

Moana Talks Webinar: Pacific Data Sovereignty and AI

The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping the way Pacific communities think about data, culture, and traditional knowledge. At the Moana Talks webinar event on Pacific Data Sovereignty and AI hosted by Moana Connect and Facilitated by Chairperson of PDS Ivan Tava on November 13th 2024. Key Pacific AI leaders gathered to discuss how Pacific values and cultural practices can shape the future of AI and data ownership.

Key insights from the event:

Community-first AI: AI systems must align with Pacific values, prioritizing local control and cultural preservation.
Traditional knowledge as data: Viewing language and customs as data highlights the need for ethical management and protection against exploitation.
Empowering communities through open-source tools: Accessible technologies can help Pacific technologists develop culturally tailored AI solutions.
Bridging the digital divide: Education and engagement are vital for equipping Pacific communities to harness AI responsibly.

With the Pacific AI Summit 2025 on the horizon, the conversation continues. By centering Pacific voices and values, we can build a digital future that strengthens our cultural identity.

For a deeper dive into these discussions and the path ahead, read the full blog post here at the Culture and Design Lab. If you would like to watch the webinar, find the full Moana Talks Webinar here.

Reflecting on the Pacific Data Sovereignty AI Workshop

Post author By Pacific Data Sovereignty
Post date October 21, 2024

Reflecting on the Pacific Data Sovereignty AI Workshop

On 2 October 2024, the Fale o Samoa in Māngere was alive with conversation and collaboration during the Pacific Data Sovereignty AI Workshop. The event, themed “Preserving our heritage in the light of innovation,” brought together Pacific leaders and AI experts to explore the impact of AI on Pacific data sovereignty and to develop guidelines for navigating this evolving digital landscape.

A key focus of the workshop was addressing the knowledge gap around AI in Pacific communities. Participants shared insights and experiences through Table Talanoa sessions, fostering rich dialogue and learning. Inspiring keynote speeches highlighted the importance of aligning technological progress with Pacific values, while networking opportunities encouraged collaboration to shape the future of data sovereignty.

We extend our gratitude to the University of Auckland and the Auckland Bioengineering Institute for supporting this important event.

The conversation does not stop here. Upcoming events include the second Pacific Data Sovereignty AI Workshop on 20 October 2024, an online webinar on 13 November 2024, and the International Pacific Data Sovereignty AI Summit in May 2025.

Together, Pacific communities are forging a future where data is respected, protected, and guided by collective values.

Pacific Data Sovereignty and AI: Our Future, Our Voices By Dr Jacinta Fa’alili-Fidow

Moana Talks Webinar: Pacific Data Sovereignty and AI

Reflecting on the Pacific Data Sovereignty AI Workshop

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