Canada and EU reiterate digital cooperation framework

In a Friday statement, leaders from Canada and the European Union announced the creation of a new “Digital Framework” under the auspices of the Strategic Partnership Agreement and the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA).  This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian …

INDU hears Canada must not surpass European or Quebec privacy laws

While the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and Quebec’s Law 25 are the gold standards for privacy legislation, the government of Canada must take care not to exceed those provisions, several witnesses told a House of Commons committee Thursday. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN …

Regulation of AI necessary, HUMA committee told

Canada will need to regulate artificial intelligence (AI) to protect workers while at the same time encouraging innovation, members of Parliament were told Wednesday. The House of Commons Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities met to consider the implications of AI on the Canadian labour force. …

Chamber of Commerce sets up council to look at AI

The Canadian Chamber of Commerce has jumped on the Artificial Intelligence bandwagon. On Nov. 20 it announced it had formed a 30-member council on the future of AI. This comes on the heels of a decision by the United Nations to create an advisory body on the technology. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers …

UN sets up advisory body to investigate AI globally

The United Nations (UN) has created an advisory body on artificial intelligence (AI). Even though Canada is not sitting on the panel, it still has much to offer, an Ottawa university professor states. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting …

Quebec, E.U., provide templates for AI rules: INDU committee told

Canada should look to other jurisdictions when it comes to regulating artificial intelligence, the House of Commons Industry Committee was told Thursday. The panel is examining Bill C-27, which encompasses the Consumer Privacy Protection Act (CPPA), the Personal Information and Data Protection Tribunal Act (PIDPTA) and the Artificial Intelligence and Data Act (AIDA). This content …

AIDA needs to be scrapped, civil society groups tell committee

A quartet of civil society groups appeared before the House of Commons Industry Committee Thursday afternoon as the MPs consider Bill C-27. The legislation would introduce a Consumer Privacy Protection Act (CPPA), a Personal Information and Data Protection Tribunal Act (PIDPTA) and an Artificial Intelligence and Data Act (AIDA).  This content is available to wirereport.ca …

Bill C-27 fails to protect rights of Canadians, say civil society groups

A coalition of civil society groups are calling on the government to make changes to Bill C-27, the Digital Charter Implementation Act, saying it is missing fundamental definitions, significantly lacks privacy rights protections, and gives the government too much unchecked power.  This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN …

Bletchley Declaration signals international efforts to tame AI risks

Leading countries in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) – including Canada, the United States, and China – agreed in a joint declaration, that while humanity has lots to gain from the rapidly evolving technology, it also poses significant risks and that international cooperation is needed to address them.  This content is available to wirereport.ca …

AI a potential foreign security threat, Ethics committee tells House

A Parliamentary committee is calling for checks of artificial intelligence use by foreign actors and holding online platforms accountable for false or misleading information. These are among the 22 recommendations the Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics made in its latest report, tabled in the House of Commons Tuesday. This content is available …

Federal government launches consultation on AI and copyright

The federal government is seeking public input on generative artificial intelligence (AI) and its implications for copyright law. The consultation will look at the use of copyright-protected works in the training of AI systems; authorship and ownership rights; and liability. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot …

Dufresne recommends changes to Digital Charter Act

The Privacy Commissioner of Canada is happy the government is open to altering the Digital Charter Implementation Act, Bill C27, but has a few more changes to suggest. Philippe Dufresne made the remarks in an opening statement at an appearance before the House of Commons Industry Committee Thursday. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers …

Champagne to introduce amendments to Digital Charter Act

Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry François-Philippe Champagne is preparing a series of amendments to Bill C-27, the Digital Charter Implementation Act. He outlined his proposals while testifying at the House of Commons Industry Committee on Tuesday afternoon. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock …

Responsible AI regulation needs to come faster, says tech lobby group

The Council of Canadian Innovators (CCI) is urging the federal government to pick up the pace on AI regulation and ensure the rules will be clear and flexible. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you …

OPC launches investigation into ChatGPT

Canada’s federal privacy watchdog has opened an investigation into OpenAI, the company behind the ChatGPT chatbot that has taken the internet by storm and stunned users in recent months. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news …

Facial recognition technology needs human intervention, hand coding, experts tell Ethics committee 

Facial recognition technology (FRT) needs human oversight to avoid egregious errors in the legal system according to panelists who testified before the House of Commons’ Ethics committee as it studies the impacts of its use and impact. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all …

Clearview goes to B.C. Supreme Court to fight privacy order

A controversial artificial intelligence and facial recognition software provider is challenging British Columbia’s privacy watchdog in court after the agency prohibited the company from offering its services in the province, collecting images and biometric facial arrays, and ordered it to delete its data. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in …

Gov. award Ontario AI company contract to map out rural broadband access

The Government has awarded a Toronto-based analytics company that uses artificial intelligence to collect data a contract to map out rural broadband access across the country. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take …

Feds launch copyright framework consultation for AI and IoT   

Canada wants to hear from stakeholders on how to modernize the Copyright Act to better include protections for new innovations and investments as new technologies develop. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take …

RCMP violated Privacy Act: OPC; RCMP lied: Angus

Four months after the federal privacy watchdog declared that Clearview AI engaged in illegal mass surveillance on behalf of the RCMP, Privacy Commissioner Daniel Therrien Thursday declared that the RCMP itself also broke the law. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian …

Canadians concerned about job loss, privacy with AI, but hopeful it will make life easier: Report 

A report by the Department of Innovation, Science, and Economic Development (ISED) on Canadians’ views on artificial intelligence has found those surveyed are most concerned about job loss with AI replacing humans in the future, followed by privacy and security concerns. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN …

ISED plans workshops to canvass Canadians’ views on AI

Industry, Science and Economic Development Canada announced plans Tuesday to hold a series of workshops, seeking “to better understand the public’s perception of AI”. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take a free …

Clearview AI engaged in illegal mass surveillance: privacy commissioners

The facial recognition technology company used by dozens of police departments across the country engaged in illegal mass surveillance before it withdrew itself from the Canadian market over the summer, the federal privacy watchdog declared in a report released Wednesday.  This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot …

OPC joins counterparts in calling for safeguards on facial recognition and AI

The federal privacy watchdog has joined its counterparts from 12 other countries in calling for “stronger privacy protections and greater accountability” when it comes to the development and use of facial recognition and artificial intelligence (AI).  This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the …

Bell applies for indefinite extension of AI call blocking scheme

BCE Inc. has applied to the CRTC for an interim extension of its “very encouraging” trial of Canada’s first artificial intelligence-based call blocking system, which has been the subject of concerns around transparency and privacy, until the regulator rules on a yet to be submitted Part 1 application to make the scheme permanent. In a …

Algorithmic policing a threat to freedoms: Citizen Lab report

The use of algorithms and surveillance technologies by police forces in Canada is a threat to fundamental Canadian freedoms, and the country’s laws are not strong enough to ensure the technologies are used within constitutional “boundaries,” according to a report out Tuesday from Citizen Lab at the University of Toronto’s Munk School of Global Affairs.  …

Clearview AI pulls its facial recognition tech following OPC investigation

Just over four months after the Office of the Privacy Commissioner announced it was investigating facial recognition technology offered by Clearview AI, the company has told the privacy watchdog it will no longer offer the technology in Canada.  This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock …

Gov’t launches AI centre in Montreal

Innovation, Science, and Economic Development announced on Monday the launch of what it is calling the Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI), as well as a research centre to be based in Monteal in cooperation with the Quebec provincial government.  This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot …

CRTC approves Bell’s AI call-blocking application

The CRTC has told BCE Inc. it can go ahead and trial using artificial intelligence for call blocking fraudulent calls on its networks. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take a free trial …

NDP calls for moratorium on facial recognition tech

New Democratic Party MP and ethics critic Charlie Angus Monday morning called for a moratorium on the use of facial recognition technology and on Public Safety Minister Bill Blair to act.  This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital …

After seeing Bell’s AI call-blocking methodology, ISCC still unhappy

The Canadian chapter of the Internet Society is not satisfied with what it learned from BCE Inc.‘s plans to use artificial intelligence in a 90 day trial of a new call blocking technology. The telecom had offered to let it and other intervenors in on their methodology, provided they sign a non-disclosure agreement.  This content is …

OPC investigating RCMP over facial recognition

The Office of the Privacy Commissioner today announced it is launching an investigation into the use of facial recognition software by the RCMP.  This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take a free trial …

Privacy commissioners to investigate Clearview AI

An investigation into Clearview AI has been launched by the Office of the Privacy Commissioner, as well as three provincial privacy commissioners, due to growing concerns about the use of controversial facial recognition technology. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, …

Competition Bureau to use AI in intelligence gathering

The Competition Bureau today announced that it would soon begin using artificial intelligence and algorithms to track anti-competitive behaviour going forward.  This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take a free trial or subscribe …

Bell to reveal AI call-blocking methods to NDA-signing intervenors

The CRTC has approved BCE Inc.’s request to make available to interveners the previously redacted methods behind its plan to use artificial intelligence in a proposed 90-day call blocking test.  This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media …

Don’t let Bell use AI to block calls, CRTC hears

Some groups are calling for the CRTC to put the brakes on a request by BCE Inc. to test out an artificial intelligence system for blocking nuisance calls, saying not enough is known about the way the program would collect data from users and that it raises privacy concerns.  This content is available to wirereport.ca …

Election 2019: watch for price caps, Netflix regs, Huawei ban

Even before the federal election campaign officially kicked off, telecom price caps already emerged as a proposal that, if implemented, would reverse a decades-long policy trend in Canada and diverge from international norms. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting …

Scheer promises new privacy committees, rules for data collection and AI

The Conservative Party is promising new rules for electronic data collection and technologies like the Internet of Things and artificial intelligence if it wins in this fall’s federal election. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news …

Alex Benay moves to the private sector

Alex Benay, Canada’s chief information officer, is headed to the private sector after two and a half years in the role.  This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take a free trial or subscribe …

As tech gains steam, rules on facial recognition still developing

As facial recognition becomes increasingly accessible to police and other authorities, its use is prompting debate about what rules govern or should constrain the technology — a question that is still mostly unanswered in Canada. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian …

UoW, NRC establish research centre for AI, IoT, cybersecurity

The National Research Council of Canada and the University of Waterloo announced on Monday they will create a new “collaboration hub,” aimed at conducting research on a host of fields related to artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and the Internet of Things. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot …

ISED convenes AI advisory council

Innovation Canada announced the creation Tuesday of a new advisory panel for artificial intelligence made up of members from across academia, the private sector, and government. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take …

Telus health app to offer video doctor appointments, AI advice

A new app launched by Telus Corp.’s health division will enable users to video chat with doctors and consult an artificial-intelligence chatbot about their symptoms. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take a …

‘Long slog’ to get ad registry ready for election, Facebook says

OTTAWA — Facebook Inc.’s head of public policy in Canada said the federal government hasn’t fully owned how “significant” an undertaking it is to require social media companies to compile a registry of political ads for the purposes of transparency. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot …

ITAC pitching new ‘matchmaking’ innovation hub to gov’t

Andre Leduc recalls introducing Microsoft Inc. Canada president Kevin Peesker to a Montreal-based astrophysicist with a social media analytics company. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take a free trial or subscribe to …

ISED announces signing of first supercluster funding agreement

Innovation Minister Navdeep Bains announced the federal government has signed a funding agreement with the group constituting its “advanced manufacturing” supercluster Tuesday, showing that Ottawa is ready to start handing out funding for its supercluster initiative. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the …

Artificial intelligence tests yielding promising results: Corus CEO

OTTAWA — Corus Entertainment Inc. CEO Doug Murphy told an industry conference Thursday the company has been experimenting with artificial intelligence, including for cross-promotion of its content and ad placements. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media …

Facebook to fact-check photos, videos

Facebook Inc. is adding verification of photos and videos to its fact-checking of content on its social media platform. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take a free trial or subscribe to The …

Don’t rush new laws for AI, data conference hears

TORONTO — There are ways to regulate artificial intelligence and the amounts of data that it produces, but introducing unnecessary new rules to protect privacy when current laws should suffice is not one of them, the Big Data Toronto conference heard Tuesday. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here …

Ontario doubles down on rural internet, AI, sets up fund for next gen tech

The Ontario government is pledging $50 million for a fund that will accelerate the development of next generation technology including artificial intelligence, 5G and autonomous vehicles. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take …

House ethics committee backs right to be forgotten in Canada

The government should consider including frameworks for a right to erasure and a right to de-indexing in the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA), the House of Commons ethics committee is recommending in a new report. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock …

Bell, Telus projects get go-ahead in superclusters announcement

OTTAWA — Two “superclusters” involving BCE Inc. and Telus Corp. are among the five that will receive funding as part of the federal government’s $950 million initiative, according to an announcement Thursday at the Canada Science and Technology Museum in Ottawa. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN …

Can telecoms cut through the blockchain hype?

The federal government said Friday it is “experimenting” with blockchain technology to create a public record of grants and contributions — an announcement that followed what seems to be a growing amount of hype over blockchain in the past year.    This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN …

Canadian ‘tale of two internets,’ as 25% get online wirelessly: Deloitte

The number of Canadians who get their internet access wirelessly — either through mobile connections or fixed wireless service — will reach 25 per cent in 2018, according to Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Ltd.’s predictions for the upcoming year, released Tuesday. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot …

Future of health care is online, despite connectivity issues: senators

OTTAWA — Technologies that allow doctors to diagnose and treat patients remotely are among the innovations set to change our health care system, senators said at an event unveiling a new report on the issue, though improvements and upgrades when it comes to internet service will be a necessary part of getting there. This content …

Telcos eye agri-food, digital tech, AI in supercluster initiative

Canada’s two largest telcos are part of three groups vying to be chosen for the final phase of the federal government’s Innovation Superclusters Initiative, with BCE Inc. participating in an artificial intelligence-focused group in Montreal and Telus Corp. involved in two separate bids, a digital technology group in British Columbia and an agriculture-focused group based …

Facebook launches AI centre in Montreal

Facebook Inc. is opening an artificial intelligence (AI) centre in Montreal, the company announced Friday. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take a free trial or subscribe to The Wire Report now. FREE TRIAL Two …

RBC launching AI-based banking through app

RBC said Monday it plans to add artificial intelligence (AI) technology to its mobile banking app. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take a free trial or subscribe to The Wire Report now. FREE TRIAL …

Copyright rules could hinder AI development: Geist

Canada’s “restrictive” rules around copyright could make it more difficult for those working on artificial intelligence technologies to test and bring them to market, University of Ottawa law professor Michael Geist said in a document filed to the government’s consultation on its intellectual property strategy. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign …

AI could help grow Canadian content: CMF

The acceleration of artificial intelligence (AI) could contribute to the discovery and growth of Canadian content, according to a mid-year trend report by the Canada Media Fund (CMF). This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you …

Use of AI will bring benefits to telecoms, but also risks

Artificial intelligence is a tool telecoms will increasingly use to manage networks and enhance various products, but its susceptibility to hacking will also pose big security-related concerns, especially if used for critical infrastructure, according to experts.

AI, which is software programmed to think and operate like humans, is a fast-growing technology that will help automate functions in the economy previously done by humans. It’s also a technology that’s been drawing government attention.

AI, 5G, rural broadband funding in Ont., N.S. budgets

The Ontario government said it will support the latest technologies in the coming years, with funding for artificial intelligence and 5G networks included in its 2017 budget.

Cyber security costs to outpace spending by 2022: Juniper

Global cyber security spending is expected to reach almost $135 billion by 2022, but that will be dwarfed by losses due to security and data breaches, according to a new report by Juniper Research.

Spending will increase on a compound annual growth rate of 7.5 per cent from $93 billion this year, Juniper predicted. However, by 2022, that $135 billion in spending will be a fraction of the $8 trillion in fines, lost business and other costs associated with security breaches, Juniper said in the Tuesday report.

Google launches AI research institute in Toronto

Alphabet Inc.’s Google has launched a research facility in Toronto dedicated to the development of artificial intelligence (AI).

The Vector Institute will focus on “expanding the applications of AI by performing cutting-edge explorations in deep learning and other forms of machine learning,” Geoffrey Hinton, chief scientific advisor for the institute and vice-president and engineering fellow at Google, said in a Google blog post Thursday.

Privacy commish funding work on rules for connected cars

OTTAWA — The federal privacy commissioner will be working with stakeholders to develop a “code of practice” to help address privacy concerns around connected and autonomous vehicles, a Senate committee heard Tuesday.