Protecting Mexico’s heritage from artificial intelligence

Mexico, like many nations with a rich cultural heritage, faces the challenge of safeguarding its cultural techniques and practices from being appropriated by Artificial Intelligence (AI). Pasero Abogados suggests the following strategies that could help Mexico tackle this issue:

1. Intellectual Property Protections: Strengthening intellectual property laws to include cultural expressions can help safeguard traditional knowledge and techniques. This might involve creating specific protections for traditional cultural expressions (TCEs) and ensuring that AI developers and users respect these rights.

2. Cultural Registers: Establishing cultural registers where traditional techniques and knowledge are documented and registered can create a formal record of ownership. This can help in asserting rights and tracking any misuse or misappropriation by AI systems.

3. Public Awareness and Education: Raising awareness about the value of cultural heritage and the potential risks of AI appropriation is crucial. Educating both the public and AI developers about the significance of these cultural techniques can promote respectful use and collaboration.

4. Ethical AI Development: Encouraging the development of AI with ethical guidelines that respect cultural heritage is important. Collaborating with AI developers to ensure that their systems are designed sensitively to cultural contexts can prevent inappropriate use of traditional techniques.

5. Collaborations and Partnerships: Mexico can foster collaborations between cultural institutions, indigenous communities, and AI researchers. They can create frameworks that ensure cultural techniques are used appropriately and with consent by working together.

6. Legal and Policy Frameworks: Developing national and international policies that address the intersection of AI and cultural heritage can help provide a legal basis for protecting traditional knowledge. Mexico could advocate for global standards that respect cultural diversity and intellectual property rights.

7. Community Involvement: Engaging communities that hold traditional knowledge in discussions about AI and its impact is essential. Their input can help shape policies and practices that honor and protect their cultural heritage.

8. Promote Cultural Innovation: Encouraging and supporting the creation of new works that innovatively incorporate traditional techniques can help keep cultural practices alive and relevant. This can also provide a positive counter-narrative to appropriation.

By combining legal measures, public education, ethical considerations, and community involvement, Mexico can better protect its cultural techniques from inappropriate appropriation by AI while still promoting the respectful use of its rich heritage.