Canada partners with Cohere to explore AI in the public service
Members of the media may directly contact:
Teresa Scassa ( English & French)
Full Professor, Common Law Section, Faculty of Law & Canada Research Chair in Information Law and Policy
Professor Scassa is a member of Canada’s Advisory Council on Artificial Intelligence and her research explores the intersection of law and technology, and she draws upon interdisciplinary approaches and networks in her work.
“While there is real potential for the use of AI in the public sector, such use must be attentive to risks, as well as to the particular legal obligations owed to the public by the government.”
Karen Eltis (English & French)
Full Professor, Civil Law Section, Faculty of Law
Professor Eltis is Faculty member at the Centre for Law, Technology and Society, and specializes in artificial intelligence/ innovation law and policy and cybersecurity from a comparative perspective.
Timothy Lethbridge (English & French)
Full professor, School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Faculty of Engineering
Professor Lethbridge's research focuses on AI, computer science, the internet, software engineering, and web engineering.
“The government has a rich ecosystem of companies and needs to invest in AI to enhance decision-making and process efficiency. However, AI usage carries risks, including undetected errors and bias, and commitment to a specific technology can be precarious as advancements occur rapidly. I hope the contract with Cohere addresses these risks effectively.
Numerous Canadian companies are involved in AI software and consulting. The selection of Cohere likely followed a systematic process based on various criteria, but without access to their proposal, it's challenging to fairly assess the appropriateness of this choice.”