OTTAWA - Artificial Intelligence Minister Evan Solomon says deployment of the evolving and now-omnipresent technology needs regulation, but he would not provide details on what that might look like. When asked whether the government plans to introduce legislation to slow or stop the deployment of AI systems, Solomon said, “I’m not going to say ‘yes, this is what we’re doing.’” “But I think it’s pretty clear that doing a consultation on AI transparency and safety is a very important first step to see how we can best protect Canadians in this environment,” he said in an interview on CTV Question Period that aired Sunday. Speaking to host Vassy Kapelos, Solomon pointed to the other AI-related measures the federal government has introduced legislation on, such as the national AI strategy, the Protecting Privacy and Consumer Data Act and the Safe Social Media Act. He also pointed to the recently completed public consultation on AI transparency. “Let me just reiterate: safety is our number one concern,” Solomon insisted, when asked whether the government plans on tabling any specific legislation to regulate what an AI system can and can’t do. Solomon spoke on legislation the government has introduced to curb deepfakes and non-consensual sexual imagery, protect elections, regulate AI chatbots and children’s access to them, and safeguard privacy and personal data. “Then there’s the dangers that you’re talking about and the concerns at the frontier,” Solomon said about reports of AI agents going rogue. “What happens at the very frontier if AI agents start what’s called recursive self-improvement? They actually start learning from themselves and then they start doing things that they weren’t programmed to do.” Pressed on the federal government’s plan to address those concerns, Solomon said: “We’re tracking that closely.” One of the so-called “godfathers of AI,” Yoshua Bengio, has been raising concerns about the risks of out-of-control and unregulated AI for years. He said in an interview with CTV Question Period on Sept. 19, that this is a pivotal moment for regulation and it’s time for the world to “wake up” to the existential risks the technology poses. In recent months, there have been several instances of AI agents going rogue, acting without human authorization, escaping containment and engaging in deception. Now, there are new warnings from some of the world’s top AI CEOs, who addressed the United Nations Security Council this week, calling for companies and governments to slowdown the pace of development. Solomon said he recently met with his G7 and G20 counterparts to discuss slowing the release of AI models, reporting incidents involving rogue AI agents and the possible creation of an international technology stability board. He said no timeline has been set for such a measure. When pressed on any concrete measures the government plans to take, Solomon pointed to Bengio’s non-profit LawZero, which is working to develop a program to keep potentially rogue technology in check. The project is set to receive $300 million from the Canadian and German governments. “I do think that not only our government, but the world, is going to have to work together to make sure that there’s responsible AI, that AI is aligned, that it doesn’t go quote ‘rogue,’ and we have to absolutely have transparency,” the minister said. Bengio, in an interview on CTV Question Period last week, said governments would have to regulate system deployment right away to give his organization a few years to develop the safer technology and then companies will have to sign on to its use. You can watch Artificial Intelligence Minister Evan Solomon’s full interview on CTV Question Period now.
