Canada Announces Refreshed Advisory Council on AI to Promote Safe and Responsible AI

On March 6, 2025, François-Phillipe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, announced a series of initiatives to support responsible and safe artificial intelligence (AI) adoption, including:

• a refreshed membership for the Advisory Council on Artificial Intelligence
• the launch of the Safe and Secure Artificial Intelligence Advisory Group to advise the government on the risks associated with AI systems and ways to address them
• the publication of a guide for managers of AI systems to support the implementation of Canada’s Voluntary Code of Conduct on the Responsible Development and Management of Advanced Generative AI Systems

The Minister also announced that six new organizations are signing on to the voluntary AI code of conduct. By signing on, these organizations are pledging to apply the code to their operations when developing and managing generative AI systems. They are joining 40 other signatories that have taken the pledge. The guide that was released on March 6, 2025, offers an additional resource for signatories and other organizations looking to deploy AI tools responsibly.

The government continues to take a leadership role in AI both domestically and internationally, committing $2.4 billion in Budget 2024 to help secure Canada’s AI advantage. The announced measures include investing in computing capacity and infrastructure, accelerating safe and responsible AI adoption and deployment, and supporting workers through skills training. In addition, Canada continues to engage in domestic and international discussions supporting the creation of common standards and safeguards for generative AI systems, including participation in international AI safety conferences and contributions to reports.

Clients should be mindful of the different jurisdictional requirements when deploying AI-related technology across their global organizations. A one-size-fits-all approach may not always be practical. We will continue to monitor Canada’s regulatory developments in the AI space.