Convention On AI: Ensuring Human Rights And Democracy

On September 5, 2024, Canada's major trading partners including the United States, the United Kingdom, and the European Union signed the Council of Europe Framework Convention on Artificial Intelligence and Human Rights, Democracy, and the Rule of Law (CETS 225). The Convention on AI is a big deal. It is a comprehensive legal framework that aims to ensure that activities within the lifecycle of AI systems are aligned with core human rights, democratic values, and the rule of law. While Canada participated in negotiating the Convention, it did not sign it or announce whether it will consult on whether to sign and ratify the Convention. Importantly, while the federal government has taken important steps with respect to the use of AI within the government, to date, Canada's initiatives to regulate artificial intelligence via (the much maligned) AIDA and social media via the Online Harms Act fall woefully short of what would be needed to give full effect to the Convention.