AI for Nature Mini-Summit: Ancestral Intelligence & AI Foundation Models
This is a special gathering at the intersection of AI, climate, and Indigenous knowledge systems. Mitákuye Oyásʼiŋ.
During San Francisco Climate Week, we are convening a group of up to 60 leaders and practitioners across technology, climate, finance, and Indigenous governance for a focused, working session on a critical question:
What would it take to build a planetary intelligence system that serves nature — not extracts from it?
The day opens with Chief Almir Narayamoga Suruí of the Paiter-Suruí People of Rondônia, Brazil — the man who led the first Indigenous REDD+ carbon sale in history, who has called AI "digital shamanism," and whose people have been reading the forest for thousands of years. He will set the frame that everyone else in the room responds to. Fabio will interpret.
This is deliberate. The intelligence we are trying to build doesn't begin with a satellite. It begins with what elders already know.
From that foundation, we convene practitioners, technologists, investors, and Indigenous leaders to explore the development of an Indigenous-centered, public-benefit, open-source AI Foundation Model for Nature's Intelligence — AINI (Eye-nee). This is a working session designed for depth, not breadth. We are bringing together the right people to engage seriously with the technical, governance, and economic challenges required to make this vision real.
The day is structured around a core conjecture: that it is possible to integrate ancestral knowledge and geospatial AI into a unified system that enables more accurate, equitable, and effective climate and nature intelligence — one that treats Indigenous wisdom as a co-equal intelligence stream, not a footnote.
We will explore
Technical Architecture What would it take for Indigenous knowledge systems to be co-equal with geospatial and machine learning data — not an afterthought?
Governance & Sovereignty What does true pre-consent, Indigenous-led governance look like in practice — and how is it encoded into systems, not just policy?
Economics & Capital Design What are the right unit economics and capital structures to support a public-good intelligence system at planetary scale?
Following the breakouts, Tom Chi — founding partner of At One Ventures and author of Climate Capital: Investing in the Tools for a Regenerative Future — is scheduled to address what it takes build scalable infrastructure.
Chief Almir will return to close the day — bringing us home to the question that started everything: what are we being invited into, and are we ready to accept?
Program Overview
1:00 PM — Arrival & Registration Informal arrival with coffee and light refreshments
1:30 PM — Welcome & Framing Opening remarks and introduction to the AINI initiative
1:40 PM — Opening Keynote: The Intelligence That Was Always There Chief Almir Narayamoga Suruí, Paiter-Suruí People, Rondônia, Brazil
2:00 PM — Panel: What Becomes Possible Exploring the implications — and risks — of building a nature intelligence model at planetary scale
2:45 PM — Break
3:00 PM — Breakout Workshops (3 Tracks) Track 1: Technical Architecture Track 2: Governance & Constitution Track 3: Economics & Capital Design
3:45 PM — Report Back Key findings from each track surfaced to the full group
4:05 PM — Keynote: From Conjecture to Actual Tom Chi, Founding Partner, AT One Ventures Author, Climate Capital: Investing in the Tools for a Regenerative Future
4:25 PM — Commitments & Call to Action Attendees invited to make specific, named commitments — technical, capital, or governance — before leaving the room
4:40 PM — Closing: Bringing Us Home Chief Almir Narayamoga Suruí returns to close the day
5:00 PM — Close
Sponsors: Thank you to Perennial, Future Climate and Pachamaya for helping making this Summit a great success!
Registration Note
Due to limited capacity, all registrations are subject to approval.
You will receive a confirmation if your request to attend is accepted.