The federal government is crafting a comprehensive artificial intelligence (AI) strategy aimed at enhancing the efficiency of federal operations and improving services for Canadians, Treasury Board President Anita Anand announced on Monday.
“This marks a significant step towards a cohesive and consistent federal approach to AI,” Anand stated during a meeting of AI experts in Gatineau, Quebec, where the strategy is currently under discussion.
The strategy aims to streamline government operations, boost capacity for science and research, and simplify interactions between Canadians, organizations, businesses, and federal services. Anand highlighted that while AI could automate routine tasks, generative AI would generally not be used for confidential applications, such as those involving cabinet confidences.
Anand emphasized that the initiative is not intended to reduce jobs within the federal public service. Instead, the strategy will include the establishment of a dedicated division to retrain existing public servants and an accelerated hiring process to attract top tech talent.
In addition to the meeting of experts, the government plans to conduct broad consultations over the coming months before finalizing the strategy. No specific deadline has been set for its completion.
The federal government has already started integrating AI into its operations across various departments. As Canada’s largest employer, the federal government aims to set a positive example for private sector employers, according to Anand.
Anand stressed the importance of balancing AI use with privacy laws and ensuring AI is not used for discriminatory or unethical purposes.
The announcement coincided with eight additional private organizations, including Mastercard, Lenovo, and the Quebec Real Estate Brokers’ Association, adopting a voluntary federal code of conduct for artificial intelligence. This code, introduced last year, requires signatories to implement measures to mitigate AI risks, such as screening data sets for biases and monitoring systems for potential harms.