ChatGPT’s ability to respond to user prompts in ways that are eerily similar to humans has sparked headlines and concerns around the potential impacts of large language models. In a panel on TVO’s The Agenda, Gillian Hadfield discussed why the system is a “game changer.”

In his new book Power and Prediction: The Disruptive Economics of Artificial Intelligence, SRI Research Lead Avi Goldfarb makes a compelling case for how AI innovation will evolve, and why it will require systems-level changes to the ways public and private sector organizations make decisions.

The SRI Seminar Series presents cutting-edge research on the social impacts of artificial intelligence and data-driven technologies, providing a unique opportunity to learn from leading experts in a wide range of fields and engage in discussions with the Schwartz Reisman Institute’s interdisciplinary community. Registration for all Winter 2023 sessions is now open.

How can computing researchers better consider the ethical and societal impacts of their work? In a recent SRI Seminar, Harvard professor Barbara Grosz outlined the key findings of a major new report on responsible computing research, which provides practical recommendations for new methodologies and approaches.

Canadian data laws need to respect the sovereignty of Indigenous data, argue John Borrows and Lisa Austin. There are a number of provisions in which the newly-proposed Bill C-27 legislation could better align with Indigenous laws and values, and in doing so address the urgent goal of reconciliation.

The Schwartz Reisman Institute for Technology and Society has launched its call for 2023 faculty and graduate fellowships, open to researchers at the University of Toronto whose work explores the social impacts of new technologies.

Responding to Bill C-27’s proposed Consumer Privacy Protection Act, Jamie Duncan and Wendy H. Wong explain why Canadians need data and privacy legislation that protects us not just from individual dangers, but collective harms as well.

How will Bill C-27’s Consumer Privacy Protection Act change the obligations of large internet platforms and search engines, especially with respect to their ability to target advertising and recommend content? Open questions remain around the new legislation that hinge on the interpretation of platforms’ necessary and legitimate interests.

Does Canada’s newly-proposed Consumer Privacy Protection Act sufficiently promote and protect the digital identities of youth? Guest contributor Michael J. S. Beauvais and Leslie Regan Shade argue that the draft legislation takes a thin view of consent and choice requirements for online services, and that clearer and more stringent rules around data privacy are needed.

SRI Director and Chair Gillian Hadfield has been named a Canada CIFAR AI Chair, joining a growing cohort of leaders in the country’s robust artificial intelligence research ecosystem. The chairs will help advance Canadian leadership in priority areas under the Pan-Canadian Artificial Intelligence Strategy at CIFAR. Hadfield is the first social scientist affiliated with the Vector Institute to be named to the program.

How can we harness the economic benefits of AI innovation? In June 2022, the Schwartz Reisman Institute convened a roundtable with the Business Development Bank of Canada to explore how AI can be better used in financial services, featuring panelists from financial institutions, leading startups, universities, and government. The event’s findings have been issued in a new report that details the importance of responsible AI and new approaches to regulation.

Will Canada’s newly-proposed Consumer Privacy Protection Act (CPPA) generate incentives for best practices when it comes to data privacy? SRI Associate Director Lisa Austin, Faculty Affiliates Aleksandar Nikolov and Nicolas Papernot, and Research Lead David Lie argue the CPPA’s reliance on deidentified data ensures it will fall short in protecting privacy.