A few weeks ago, François-Philippe Champagne, Canada's Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, announced the launch of the second phase of the Pan-Canadian Artificial Intelligence Strategy. This second phase, which is expected to benefit from an investment of more than $443 million, aims to attract the best talent, increase cutting-edge research capacity, and foster the commercialization and adoption of AI. In 2017, the Canadian government was the first country to establish a national AI strategy. CIFAR, the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, was tasked with developing and leading this pan-Canadian strategy, initially funded with $125 million. CIFAR is working closely with the three national AI institutes: Mila in Montreal, the Vector Institute in Toronto and Amii in Edmonton, as well as with Canadian universities, hospitals and other organizations.

Artificial intelligence (AI) presents numerous opportunities to benefit society; however, the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (OIPC), together with numerous international counterparts, have been urging the adoption of national strategies to ensure the responsible use of AI and mitigate the risks to privacy and data associated with same. Recognizing that AI poses challenges to privacy, data protection and human rights, the Declaration on Ethics and Data Protection in Artificial Intelligence was adopted at the 40th International Conference of Data Protection and Privacy Commissioners. This Declaration aims to "preserve human rights in the development of artificial intelligence" by endorsing the following six guiding principles: While the OIPC continues to monitor AI developments in Canada and internationally, the Government of Canada has also been active in addressing potential issues arising from the use of such technologies. For example, Canada is among the first countries to announce a national strategy for AI. The Pan-Canadian Artificial Intelligence Strategy, a $125-million investment in AI, was announced in the 2017 Federal Budget, with a main objective of supporting research on AI.

The new collaboration was announced by Trudeau and Macron on June 7, 2018, just ahead of the turbulent G7 Summit which took place in Charlevoix, Quebec. The basis of the collaboration will be an independent expert group, who will invite specialists from both governments, together with internationally recognized scientists and representatives from industry. Interested members of social groups will also have an opportunity to take part. The new group will set out to identify the key challenges and opportunities that artificial intelligence promises, especially orientated towards developing social and economic benefits. The group will also outline some best practices, which will be designed to ensure that artificial intelligence fulfills this potential.

TORONTO, March 22, 2017 /CNW/ - The Government of Canada is funding a Pan-Canadian Artificial Intelligence Strategy for research and talent that will cement Canada's position as a world leader in AI. The $125 million strategy will attract and retain top academic talent in Canada, increase the number of post-graduate trainees and researchers studying artificial intelligence, and promote collaboration between Canada's main centres of expertise in Montreal, Toronto-Waterloo and Edmonton. The program will be administered through CIFAR, the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research. The new program was announced in the federal budget released on Wednesday. "The Canadian government clearly recognizes the importance of artificial intelligence as a platform technology that cuts across many areas of innovation today," says Dr. Alan Bernstein, President and CEO of CIFAR.

In Budget 2017 the Government of Canada announced it will renew and enhance its funding for CIFAR, investing $35 million over the next five years in CIFAR's mission of enabling transformative knowledge by catalyzing global networks of the world's pre-eminent researchers. The government also announced that CIFAR will administer a $125 million Pan-Canadian Artificial Intelligence Strategy for research and talent. "I want to thank the Minister of Science Kirsty Duncan, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development Navdeep Bains, and the government of Canada for this support," says CIFAR President and CEO Dr. Alan Bernstein. "This government understands the importance of investing in fundamental research, and they understand that the CIFAR model of bringing together some of the best minds to address important global questions benefits both Canada and the world. I'd especially like to thank the Honourable Kirsty Duncan, Canada's Minister of Science, for her strong on-going support for CIFAR."