The size of language models significantly impacts their adoption and usage. Did you know that small language models and super tiny language models can produce richer, more specific outputs that increasingly outperform larger models across various benchmarks? SRI Policy researcher Jamie A Sandhu writes about small models making big impacts in the field of AI.

For the third consecutive year, the Schwartz Reisman Institute of Technology and Society opened its doors to a select group of Juris Doctor (JD) students through its summer Research Assistant (RA) program. Learn more about this year's research projects and how our RA partnership with the Future of Law Lab has opened new insights and experiences for students interested in AI governance.

In April 2024, the Government of Canada pledged $2.4bn toward AI in its annual budget, including $50m for a new AI Safety Institute. What scope, expertise, and authority will the new institute need to achieve its full potential? We examine the early approaches of similar institutes in the UK, US, and EU.

Griefbots are artificial intelligence programs designed to mimic deceased individuals by using their digital footprint. Griefbots raise significant concerns about data collection and implications to human dignity. This article explores the digital afterlife industry and the ethical and legal challenges it presents, including a consideration of health, privacy, and property laws in Canada.

A new report from SRI Research Lead Beth Coleman, SRI Graduate Fellow Madison Mackley, and collaborators explores questions such as: How can we facilitate data-sharing across divisions to improve public policy and service delivery? What are the risks of data-sharing, how can we mitigate those risks, and what are the potential benefits of doing it right?

Can we trust the behaviours, predictions, and pronouncements of the advanced artificial intelligence (AI) systems that are seemingly everywhere in our lives? This question is being explored using a multidisciplinary approach by a working group led by SRI Research Lead Beth Coleman. Learn more about the group members and what they’re working on.

Although foreign interference did not impact the results of Canadian elections in 2019 and 2021, it ‘stained’ the electoral process, undermining public confidence in Canada’s democratic institutions. What measures does Bill C-70 (“An Act respecting countering foreign interference”) take to bolster Canadian confidence in elections? And how might it apply to the use of AI in our elections?

When new technologies enter the world, they must earn trust. How can we create trust in artificial intelligence? A new report from the Certification Working Group (CWG) explores the necessary elements of an ecosystem that can deliver effective certification to support AI that is responsible, trustworthy, ethical, and fair.

What is generative AI? How do large language models work? SRI Policy Researcher Jamie Sandhu lays the groundwork for understanding LLMs and other generative AI tools as they increasingly permeate our daily interactions.

What’s missing from current efforts to regulate artificial intelligence? SRI researchers author a new CIFAR AI Insights Policy Brief on bracing for large-scale economic, social, and legal change—and how policymakers can adapt governance infrastructure to an economy transformed by AI.

A new white paper published by the Schwartz Reisman Institute explores how synergies between AI regulation and existing consumer protection principles can be leveraged to ensure policy-makers do not need to start from scratch when it comes to developing governance for the use of AI in financial services.

There are economic and political incentives for AI companies to create their own set of rules. Alyssa Wong explores the benefits and drawbacks of self-regulation in the tech industry, and highlights the ultimate need for democratic oversight to ensure accountability, transparency, and consideration of public interests.