Three Perspectives on Canada's AI Future

The federal government has announced the National AI Strategy Task Force, and I have been asked to contribute on the theme of trust and safety.

This is an important moment. Canada has real strengths in AI research and a genuine opportunity to be a leader — not just in building AI systems, but in building the governance frameworks that make those systems trustworthy and safe. But those two ambitions are too often treated as if they are in tension. They are not.

I see three perspectives that need to be part of this conversation:

First, the research perspective. Canada's AI research ecosystem is world-class, but it needs more than compute and talent. It needs sustained investment in the social science, humanities, and interdisciplinary research required to understand AI's effects on society.

Second, the governance perspective. We cannot ask Canadians to adopt AI systems that have been deployed without meaningful oversight. Public trust requires regulatory frameworks that mandate safety, transparency, and accountability.

Third, the democratic perspective. Citizens need agency over the AI systems that affect their lives. That means recourse mechanisms, data portability, and real public consultation — not performative engagement.

I look forward to contributing to this work and will share my full submission when it is complete.