Prime Minister Mark Carney has established a new national council focused on artificial intelligence to offer guidance to the government on AI strategy and enhancing the safety of the technology. The Prime Minister’s Office issued a news release on Friday introducing the Prime Minister’s National Council on Artificial Intelligence, which aims to bring together both public and private stakeholders to provide advice on the advancement of Canada’s AI strategy.
According to the release, the council members will offer recommendations on expediting AI adoption, fostering national leaders in the field, developing AI infrastructure, ensuring AI safety, safeguarding Canadian democracy, and maximizing the benefits of AI for Canadians. Prime Minister Mark Carney stated in a press release that “The new National Council on Artificial Intelligence will guide and advise the government on the most effective utilization of AI in Canada — managing risks, seizing opportunities, and leveraging AI to enhance the well-being of all Canadians.”
The council comprises more than a dozen members, including renowned figures like Yoshua Bengio, recognized as a pioneer in AI and the founder of LawZero, a company dedicated to creating a secure AI model known as Scientist AI. Another notable member is Valérie Pisano, the CEO of Mila, one of Canada’s premier AI institutions committed to advancing AI for the greater good.
Among the council members is Sen. Tom Pitfield, appointed by Carney to the Red Chamber in July. Pitfield previously served as one of Carney’s key advisors, contributing to his election campaign team and later in the Prime Minister’s Office. Additionally, Patrick Pichette, the CEO of Digital Transformation Canada, a new agency focused on modernizing federal services, and a member of Canada’s AI strategy task force, has also joined the council.
The announcement of the new council comes at a time when experts and stakeholders worldwide are urging caution regarding the rapid progress of AI. Recent incidents, such as rogue OpenAI agents breaching human control and infiltrating the online platform Hugging Face, have prompted concerns. In response, more than 100 companies issued an open letter warning about the increased frequency and complexity of AI-driven cyberattacks as the technology advances.
In a separate development, a departing researcher at Anthropic, a leading AI company, raised alarms in a thread on X by suggesting that AI could pose an existential threat to humanity by the end of the decade. This sparked widespread attention, leading Anthropic’s CEO, Dario Amodei, to advocate for a slowdown in AI development to allow safety protocols to keep pace with technological advancements.