Today, at the Faire face à l'intelligence artificielle forum to address issues in artificial intelligence, which brings together nearly 300 people at Centre Sheraton Montréal, Chief Scientist Rémi Quirion announced the creation of the new International Observatory on the Societal Impacts of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Technologies. The initiative will be led by Lyse Langlois, professor and researcher in industrial relations at Université Laval and director of the Institute for Applied Ethics (IDÉA).
The observatory will assemble some 20 universities and colleges, as well as close to 90 research centres. Members will work in collaboration with government, civil society and private sector organizations in Québec, Canada and abroad. Mandates involving research, monitoring, training, public consultation and recommendations on policy and legal aspects to provide a framework for the development of artificial intelligence will structure the activities of the new scientific entity.
The initiative is funded by the Fonds de recherche du Québec (FRQ), in partnership with the ministère de l'Économie et de l'Innovation, in an amount of $1.5M per year over five years (total budget of $7.5M).
Quotation
"Today, I am pleased to announce the launch of the Observatory, which constitutes the outcome of a process that has been underway for nearly a year. This initiative by the FRQ aims to mobilize the driving forces in research on the societal impacts of artificial intelligence. With the creation of this new scientific entity, Québec takes its place as an international leader in the ethical and inclusive development of artificial intelligence. The Observatory will serve as a vital hub to exchange ideas, generate knowledge and inform public policy on artificial intelligence and digital technologies."
– Rémi Quirion, Chief Scientist of Québec
Presentation by Lyse Langlois, Holder of the Observatoire
About the Fonds de recherche du Québec (FRQ)
Reporting to the ministre de l'Économie et de l'Innovation, the FRQ strive to ensuring the strategic and coherent development as well as the financial support of Québec research, support the training of researchers, establish the necessary partnerships to carry out their mission, and promote and support knowledge mobilization. Please see our websites: FRQSC, FRQS, FRQNT.
Information
Benoit Sévigny
Director, Communications and Knowledge Mobilization
Fonds de recherche du Québec
(514) 864-1619