
What might the Canadian AI Safety Institute look like? Reflections on an emerging national AI safety regime
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.
From mourning to machine: Griefbots, human dignity, and AI regulation
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.
The smart way to run smart cities: New report explores data governance and trusted data sharing in Toronto
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?
SRI Director David Lie and collaborators awarded $5.6 million for cutting-edge research on robust, secure, and safe AI
SRI Director David Lie and 18 collaborators—including five other SRI researchers— will receive $5.6 million in grants over the next four years to develop solutions for critical artificial intelligence (AI) challenges. Learn more about the new funding from NSERC and CSE.
Harming virtuously? Value alignment for harmful AI
The field of AI safety emphasizes that systems be aligned with human values, often stating AI should “do no harm.” But lethal autonomous systems used for firearms and drones are already harming people. How can we address the reality of purposely harmful AI systems? SRI Graduate Fellow Michael Zhang writes about a panel of experts exploring this topic.
Schwartz Reisman Institute announces new faculty affiliates for 2024-25
Get to know the 15 new faculty affiliates joining the SRI research community for the 2024–25 academic year. The new cohort of affiliates has expertise in a variety of fields across social sciences, humanities, and STEM disciplines, including geography, psychology, information studies, management, criminology, sociology, history, cultural studies, public health, physiology, pharmaceutical sciences, computer science, and engineering.
SRI working group investigating the concept of trust from across disciplinary perspectives
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.
All about Bill C-70, the Canadian government’s attempt to counter foreign interference
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?
David Lie appointed Director of SRI; David Duvenaud and Roger Grosse appointed Schwartz Reisman Chairs in Technology and Society
World-leading computer security expert David Lie will take on the role of the Schwartz Reisman Institute for Technology and Society’s (SRI) director, while two renowned AI safety experts—Roger Grosse and David Duvenaud—are being appointed Schwartz Reisman Chairs in Technology and Society.
Schwartz Reisman Institute announces 2024 fellowship recipients
The Schwartz Reisman Institute for Technology and Society is proud to welcome four new faculty fellows and 15 graduate fellows from across the University of Toronto. SRI fellowships support interdisciplinary research projects that build new approaches to examine the complex relations between technology and society.
The terminology of AI regulation: Ensuring “safety” and building “trust”
We hear certain terminology used frequently in efforts to regulate artificial intelligence. But what do we mean when we talk about “safety” and “trust”? Are advanced artificial intelligence (AI) systems a threat to our sense of safety and security? Can we trust AI systems to perform increasingly critical roles in society? Precise and useful understandings of these terms across diverse contexts are a crucial step toward effective policymaking.
Secure and Trustworthy ML 2024: A home for machine learning security research
How can we help people recognize AI-generated images? Can we prevent copyrighted materials from being used in training data? What’s going on in the new field of forensic analysis of ML systems? These and related topics were at the centre of the 2024 Secure and Trustworthy Machine Learning (SaTML) conference in Toronto. Read the highlights.