SHI lecture to highlight role of tech in protecting Indigenous languages
Haida Software engineer to discuss the potential of AI and machine learning in language preservation
April 28, 2025
Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI) will sponsor a presentation next week as part of its spring lecture series featuring prominent voices in Indigenous knowledge, art, culture and language.
Nathan Bennett, a senior software engineer at Microsoft and a citizen of the Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Tribes of Alaska, will present his talk, “Our Voices, Our Future: How Technology Can Empower Indigenous Language Revitalization and Preservation.”
Bennett will explore how technologies such as artificial intelligence and machine learning can support the revitalization of critically endangered Indigenous languages, including Haida (X̱aad Kíl), Tsimshian (Sm’algyax), and Tlingit (Lingít). His talk will offer insights into how AI tools can accelerate documentation efforts, increase learner engagement and help safeguard linguistic heritage for future generations.
With over two decades of experience in software engineering, Bennett currently works on large-scale communication infrastructure and intelligent systems at Microsoft. A Sealaska shareholder, he has recently begun reconnecting with his Haida heritage through language classes and cultural practices. His interest in applying digital tools to Indigenous language work stems from his combined expertise in technology and commitment to cultural revitalization.
The lecture is scheduled for noon, Wednesday, April 30, in Shuká Hít within the Walter Soboleff Building, 105 Heritage Way, in Juneau. The event will be livestreamed and posted on SHI’s YouTube channel.
Sealaska Heritage Institute is a tribal organization founded in 1980 to perpetuate and enhance Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian cultures of Southeast Alaska. SHI also conducts scientific and public policy research that promotes Alaska Native arts, cultures, history and education statewide. The institute is governed by a Board of Trustees and guided by a Council of Traditional Scholars, a Native Artist Committee and a Southeast Regional Language Committee.
CONTACT: Kathy Dye, SHI Communications and Publications Deputy Director, 907.321.4636, kathy.dye@sealaska.com.