A conversation starter for SKFNCE and 7GENAI

Across Saskatchewan and beyond, Indigenous organisations are leading important work in community development, youth leadership, natural resources, data sovereignty, and emerging technologies.

At the same time, many organisations reach a point where a small number of people become critical connectors, decision-makers, relationship holders, and holders of institutional memory.

This is not unusual.

In fact, it is often a sign that important work is happening.

The challenge is that growth, opportunity, and responsibility can increase faster than organisational capacity.

As artificial intelligence continues to mature, much of the public conversation has focused on communities, education, governance, and future possibilities.

A different question may also be worth asking:

How do we support the people already carrying the work?

Before asking how AI might support communities, there may be value in asking how it might support the people responsible for serving those communities.

Questions for Discussion

• Where does time disappear each week?
• What work gets delayed because capacity is limited?
• What information is hardest to find when it is needed?
• What activities depend heavily on a single person?
• What work creates the most frustration?
• If one recurring burden could be removed, what would create the most breathing room?

A Working Principle

Before exploring community-scale AI systems, there may be value in understanding where organisational capacity is most constrained.

The goal is not technology for its own sake.

The goal is creating more space for relationship-building, leadership, community engagement, and high-value work.

The question is simple:

What keeps landing on your desk that only you can deal with?