Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced 30 Canadian corporations have agreed to his Liberal government’s AI “code of conduct” Monday evening. The prime minister promises the “voluntary” conduct code for federal corporations “responsibly” developing AI systems will “help keep Canadians safe and secure.”As Canada has been widely criticized on the world stage for its inability to keep up with technology trends, Trudeau emphasized that this special policy is “one way Canada’s leading the world in harnessing this technology.”The Financial Times earlier this month published a scathing editorial penned by Chair of Rockefeller International Ruchir Sharma, who said under Trudeau’s watch, the once great Canada has become the leading example of what not to do as a prospering nation.Sharma called Canada a prime example of a “breakdown nation” and said one of its most prominent downfalls is its lacking in the area of technological advancements. Trudeau now seems to be on a mission to show the world Canada has some clout in this field and emphasized in his social media post that his country is “leading the way.” .The Government of Canada website acknowledges both “benefits” and “risks” of using “advanced generative AI systems.” Risk factors include the broad scope of data on which AI systems are trained, “their wide range of potential uses” and “the scale of their deployment.”“Systems that are made publicly available for a range of different uses can present risks to health and safety, can propagate bias, and carry the potential for broader societal impacts, particularly when used by malicious actors,” the website states. Elon Musk in November said AI is a “double-edged sword” and “more dangerous than nuclear bombs.”“The genie’s already popping its head out” of the bottle, said the tech billionaire, confessing there have been times in his life where he “couldn’t get to sleep at night” because he was “worried about the danger of AI.” We are on a “troubling arc” and very soon AI could become people’s “digital god,” said Musk. Signatories of Canada’s corporate code of conduct “commit to adopting identified measures” put forth by the federal government pursuant to the Artificial Intelligence and Data Act.Included in the “voluntary” policy for corporations to agree to are “accountability” in sharing their product development with other firms, “safety” through risk assessments, “fairness and equity” to be assessed at all phases of development, “transparency” of information published, “human oversight and monitoring” after the system has been deployed, and “validity and robustness” of systems to prevent cyber attacks.“Signatories also commit to support the ongoing development of a robust, responsible AI ecosystem in Canada. This includes contributing to the development and application of standards, sharing information and best practices with other members of the AI ecosystem, collaborating with researchers working to advance responsible AI, and collaborating with other actors, including governments, to support public awareness and education on AI,” the website states. “Signatories also commit to develop and deploy AI systems in a manner that will drive inclusive and sustainable growth in Canada, including by prioritizing human rights, accessibility and environmental sustainability, and to harness the potential of AI to address the most pressing global challenges of our time.”Corporations who have joined the Trudeau Liberals’ list are: AdaAlayaCareAlberta Machine Intelligence Institute (Amii)AlloprofAltaMLAppenBlackBerryBlueDotCGICohereCouncil of Canadian InnovatorsCoveoIBMkama.aiKyndrylLenovoLevioMaRS Discovery DistrictMastercardMilaOpenTextOrganisme d'autoréglementation du courtage immobilier du QuébecProtexxa Inc.RanovusResemble AIResponsible Artificial Intelligence InstituteSalesforceScale AITELUSVector Institute
