Government working with AI researcher Mila on governing use of cultural content

Mila, an artificial intelligence research institute in Quebec, will be working with the federal government on how to govern the use of cultural content by AI. The government announced Friday that the partnership will begin with a “roundtable discussion” on Oct. 17 and 18 between AI experts, cultural stakeholders, civil society representatives, and provincial and territorial governments to set the basis for a “national cultural data strategy for artificial intelligence.” The federal department of Canadian Heritage, led by Minister Pascale St-Onge, said in a press release that topics to be covered include transparency measures concerning the use of cultural content by AI, data licensing, and data curation of open-source and public domain cultural data. “Human creativity is a necessary ingredient for a dynamic and diverse culture. It is also the cornerstone for progress in the field of AI,” St-Onge said in a press release. “Canada’s authors, musicians, and artists have important questions about the impact artificial intelligence will have on their work, and we are ensuring that they are part of the conversation as the government develops Canada’s cultural data strategy for AI.” The Wire Report has reached out to Canadian Heritage to request further details on the roundtable discussion and its participants. The government also noted it plans to spend $2.4 billion to create a “Canadian AI Advantage” which would involve investments to build and provide access to computing capabilities and technological infrastructure. Earlier this spring, organizations representing Canada’s creative industries called on MPs to add copyright provisions to Bill C-27, in order to protect creators’ content, likeness, and reputation in the age of AI. Several groups testified before the House industry committee to share their views on the digital charter implementation act. Their arguments took aim at the bill’s artificial intelligence and data act (AIDA), saying it does not do enough to protect the rights of Canadian creators. Transparency around the data used to train AI models is key, said the organizations at the time, who all expressed concern around processes of web scraping and data mining, which play a core role in the development of AI systems. Mila’s Telus partnership Mila, which was founded by professor Yoshua Bengio of the University of Montreal, also announced a partnership with Telus Corp. this week to “explore state-of-the-art AI technologies and potential industry impacts for the benefit of Canadian customers.” "By partnering with Mila, Telus is demonstrating its commitment to bolstering Canada’s technology ecosystem through the development of trustworthy, ethical AI,” said Telus’ chief data and trust officer Pam Snively in a press release. “By collaborating on initiatives with the highest standards of integrity and excellence, we are ensuring that our AI advancements are not only innovative, but also responsible and beneficial to society.”

Government working with AI researcher Mila on governing use of cultural content

Regulatory |
By Wire Report Staff
| September 13, 2024

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Government working with AI researcher Mila on governing use of cultural content

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By Wire Report Staff
| September 13, 2024