James Moore: Canada is a getting a fresh start on artificial intelligence. Let’s not waste it.

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James Moore is a former federal cabinet minister under prime minister Stephen Harper, and a columnist for CTVNews.ca.

The recent federal election provided Canada with a much needed reset on the debate on artificial intelligence (AI), and we should all be thankful for it.

There is a new member of Parliament who is the new minister for the file: Evan Solomon. Thoughtful and studious, the new Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation — the first we have had — provides an opportunity for a fresh start on the file.

Further, all the opposition critics of the AI file from the last parliament — Conservative MP Ryan Williams; Bloc Québécois MP René Villemure; and NDP MP Brian Masse — were all defeated on election day in their respective ridings.

This dynamic of personal change, coupled with some good faith on policy development, should give a clear opportunity for the government to re-engage the AI issue with gusto.

To start, I think it would be a mistake for the government to simply re-introduce the old Artificial Intelligence and Data Act (AIDA) (Bill C-27) from the previous parliament. A great deal was exposed about the imperfections, concerns of overreach, governance and questionable spending in the debates around AIDA after its introduction in April of 2023 that should signal the government to walk away from the previous AI policy efforts.

There are six areas of AI policy challenges, and they are interconnected and complex.

Public safety

First, is the need to balance public safety and innovation. Complimenting and supporting a thriving AI ecosystem (and the increasingly mature hubs in Edmonton, Toronto, and Montreal) while protecting people and firms from the risks of unregulated AI systems is a difficult challenge. The risk of overregulating is real and could result in a flight of startups. But at the same time, there will be public collapse of the tolerance and integration of AI into our lives if the harms of surveillance, disinformation and bias are not addressed.

Privacy

The second issue that needs consideration is the need to address data privacy and consent. AI systems consumed massive datasets which raises concerns about the protection of data and the informed consent of the public for the use of that data — particularly when it comes to health, family, and biometric data. Consent loopholes and data scraping are constant challenges and need to be mitigated in the public interest. And, of course, these protections need to be as borderless as we can possibly secure.

Accountability

The third issue to be addressed must be the public sector use of AI data and systems. It is reported that agencies are increasingly using AI to try to drive efficiency, but there are credible concerns that they are doing so without adequate public facing accountability or transparency.

This needs to be fixed. Any algorithmic decision making by the government needs to be disclosed and the principles of the Privacy Act need to be modernized and ported into any use of AI technology.

Jobs

Fourth, the impact of labour displacement could trigger a torrent of anxiety and disruption that is greater than we imagine. The impact on jobs and skills development will be substantial and we need to gauge — with the provinces and territories — how best to reskill and retrain workforces who may find their lives sideswiped by AI implementation.

Public risk

Fifth, the government must apply a national security lens to the AI opportunity/challenge. One of the dominant concerns about AI technology is the lack of accountability given the possible risks that may cause harm to individuals when wrong decisions are made autonomously.

For example, there is no common description in law that agreed to or enforced with respect to using AI-based lethal robotic systems for selecting targets with possible lethal force. There is a clear need for defence and intelligence policies to be modernized and continually scrutinized in collaboration with our allies.

Competition

And sixth, as Canada marches forward with our AI policy that serves Canada and our needs, we need to consider where global standards are headed in the E.U. and U.S. and align our interests accordingly. We must be able to compete internationally, contribute to emerging global norms on AI ethics, governance and safety and avoid regulatory fragmentation that leaves us at a disadvantage with our competitors.

In sum, AI presents a complex, fast-evolving set of policy challenges that touch nearly every aspect of society. Policymakers must be agile, principled, and ambitious in the coming Parliament.

AI is reshaping economies, transforming workplaces, and redefining our economic boundaries. The opportunities are incredible and the policy challenges associated with the opportunities demand the best efforts our leaders to get it right.