This paper proposes a significant shift in the design of artificial intelligence (AI). It shifts away from extractive, human-centered models toward a relational approach rooted in ecological ethics and Indigenous knowledge systems. It rethinks AI not as a system of control or optimization, but as an active participant in the ecological networks that support life.

Through real-world examples like Inuit-led climate adaptation projects and the ReefOS coral soundscape system, the work shows how AI can serve as a multispecies ally rather than a colonial tool. Drawing from Indigenous leadership and new frameworks such as the Indigenous Protocol and AI Working Group, it advocates for a fundamental shift in how we understand knowledge: moving from data extraction to relational responsiveness, from command to reciprocity, and from efficiency to care.

Ultimately, the paper argues that AI must move beyond its current extractive logic to become a steward of planetary systems, acting as an intelligence that listens, learns, and gives back.