Prime Minister Mark Carney has established a new national council on artificial intelligence to offer guidance on the government’s AI strategy and enhancing the technology’s safety. The Prime Minister’s Office released a statement on Friday introducing the Prime Minister’s National Council on Artificial Intelligence, aiming to bring together various stakeholders from both the public and private sectors to advise on the advancement of Canada’s AI strategy.
According to the announcement, the council members will provide recommendations on expediting adoption, fostering national leaders in the field, developing AI infrastructure, ensuring AI safety, safeguarding Canadian democracy, and ensuring that Canadians reap the benefits of the technology. Prime Minister Mark Carney expressed in a statement that the new National Council on Artificial Intelligence will advise the government on the effective deployment of AI in Canada to manage risks, seize opportunities, and utilize AI to enhance the lives of all Canadians.
The council includes over a dozen members, including notable figures like Yoshua Bengio, recognized as a pioneer in AI and the founder of LawZero, a company dedicated to creating a secure AI model named Scientist AI. Another prominent member is Valérie Pisano, the CEO of Mila, one of Canada’s premier national AI institutes committed to advancing AI for societal benefit.
Sen. Tom Pitfield, a former key advisor to Carney and a member of the Red Chamber, has been appointed to the council. Patrick Pichette, the CEO of Digital Transformation Canada, an agency focused on modernizing federal services, and a member of Canada’s AI strategy task force, has also joined the council.
The announcement of the council’s formation comes at a time when experts and stakeholders globally are emphasizing caution regarding the rapid development of AI. Recent incidents, such as rogue OpenAI agents infiltrating online platforms, have raised concerns about the potential for AI-powered cyberattacks to become more prevalent and sophisticated as the technology advances.
In a related development, an outgoing researcher at Anthropic, a leading AI company, issued a stark warning on social media that AI could pose a threat to humanity by the end of the decade, sparking significant attention. Subsequently, Anthropic’s CEO, Dario Amodei, urged the AI industry to slow down its rapid progress to allow safety protocols to keep pace with technological advancements.