Governing AI: A Plan for Canada (2024 Update)
Updated white paper by AI Governance and Safety Canada (AIGS) outlining five high-impact actions for the Canadian government to significantly advance AI governance by end of Q2 2025. The paper updates the 2023 edition with the latest developments in AI capabilities and governance, including Canada's $2.4B budget investment in compute access and the creation of the AI Safety Institute (AISI). Recommends a Ministry of AI, improved legislation, and increased safety research investment.
Organizations
- AIGS — publisher
Links
Policy recommendations
- rec-2024-001 Establish a Ministry of AIUntracked
Create a dedicated Ministry of AI to ensure a direct voice at Cabinet and awareness of AI's impact on other top portfolios. The ministry would house AI regulatory bodies, monitor and inform leadership about AI developments, communicate with the provinces, and coordinate federal action. Avoids ISED's conflicting mandate of boosting development while also regulating it.
- rec-2024-002 Champion and fund global AI governance effortsUntracked
Support global efforts addressing frontier AI race dynamics and host talks on global AI governance during Canada's 2025 G7 leadership. Without global coordination, domestic regulation will simply push AI development to other jurisdictions, and frontier AI development is mostly happening abroad.
- rec-2024-003 Improve and pass the AI & Data Act and supporting regulationsUntracked
Provide a legal framework to address a range of ethics and safety concerns. Improve the Canadian AI Data Commissioner's (AIDC) independence by moving its administration to the new Ministry of AI to avoid conflict with ISED's mandate. There is no time to drop the AIDA and reintroduce it later.
- rec-2024-004 Increase and focus Budget 2024 investments on safety and governanceUntracked
Dedicate more than $500M for research on technical AI and governance policy research, coordinated by Canada's new AI Safety Institute. Allocate more than 20% of the proposed AI Compute Access Fund for research on frontier AI safety. The AISI's $50M in funding is insufficient given the scale of AI safety needs.
- rec-2024-005 Launch a national conversation on AIUntracked
Hold nationwide open public consultations to inform policy decisions on AI in relation to the jobs transition, wealth concentration, and the right balance between pursuing rewards and limiting risks. AI will radically transform society, and managing this transition needs to start early with Canada's relative stability and strong AI ecosystem making it well placed to lead.