Canada’s opportunity to be a world leader in AI safety
Rapid advances in artificial intelligence (AI) highlight both the tremendous opportunities of this technology as well as short- and long-term risks. As one of the world’s leading AI nations, with a long track record and deep expertise in AI, Canada has a critical role to play in advancing the world’s understanding of the risks associated with advanced AI systems and how to mitigate them.
In late 2024, the Government of Canada launched the Canadian AI Safety Institute (CAISI) to address AI safety risks and position the country as a leader in the development and deployment of safe and responsible AI technologies. A key component of the new institute is the CAISI Research Program at CIFAR, which will build a focused research community on AI safety across Canada. Funded by a $27 million contribution to CIFAR from the Government of Canada, the CAISI Research Program will be steered by CIFAR with close collaborations with research institutions across the country, in particular Canada’s three National AI Institutes: Mila in Montréal, Amii in Edmonton and the Vector Institute in Toronto.
In this installment of CIFAR Talks, we invite you to join the newly appointed Co-Directors of the CAISI Research Program at CIFAR, Canada CIFAR AI Chairs Nicolas Papernot and Catherine Régis, for an in-depth discussion on the future of AI safety and Canada’s opportunity to lead in this space. They’ll share their vision for the CAISI Research Program at CIFAR, outline its research priorities and explore how interdisciplinary collaboration is driving solutions to the challenges posed by rapidly evolving AI technologies.
Moderated by Murad Hemmadi, AI Reporter at The Logic, with opening and closing remarks from Elissa Strome, Executive Director of the Pan-Canadian AI Strategy.
This CIFAR Talks event will delve into:
- The mission and goals of the CAISI Research Program at CIFAR
- Key challenges and opportunities in advancing AI safety research
- How CAISI will contribute to the global conversation on responsible and safe AI development and deployment
- How Canada’s AI community can get involved in AI Safety efforts
Don’t miss this chance to learn about the pivotal role the CAISI Research Program at CIFAR will play in shaping the future of AI safety. Reserve your virtual seat today and subscribe to CIFAR’s newsletter for updates on upcoming events.
CIFAR Talks is a free, public event series that brings together global thought leaders to explore the most pressing questions facing science and humanity.
Speakers:
Murad Hemmadi covers artificial intelligence, semiconductors, quantum computing and other deep technologies. He was previously an Ottawa correspondent at The Logic, covering business and innovation policy. Before joining The Logic, he covered politics and wrote a daily newsletter for Maclean’s.
Nicolas Papernot is an Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto, holding positions in the Departments of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Computer Science, and the Faculty of Law. He is also a faculty member at the Vector Institute, where he holds a Canada CIFAR AI Chair, a faculty affiliate at the Schwartz Reisman Institute, and a Schmidt Sciences AI2050 Early Career Fellow. His research focuses on the privacy and security of machine learning systems.
Catherine Régis is a Full Professor at the Faculty of Law of Université de Montréal and holds the Canada Research Chair in Health Law and Policy. She is also the Director of Social Innovation and International Policy at IVADO, an Associate Academic Member and Canada CIFAR AI Chair at Mila, and the Co-Chair of the Global Partnership on AI Responsible AI Committee. Her research focuses on global AI governance, AI regulation in healthcare, and human rights approaches in AI.
Elissa Strome is the Executive Director of the Pan-Canadian Artificial Intelligence Strategy at CIFAR. She works with leaders at Canada’s three National AI Institutes in Edmonton (Amii), Montreal (Mila), and Toronto (Vector Institute) and across the country to advance Canada’s leadership in AI research, training and innovation. She is a champion of equity, diversity and inclusion in science, and an ambassador for Canada’s position in AI research, innovation, and policy internationally.