TORONTO –The CIO Strategy Council (CIOSC), IEEE and the Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI) have announced a strategic partnership to collaborate on addressing governance challenges posed by emerging technologies for societies and decision makers in Canada and abroad.
Through this collaboration, the expertise of members will create a forward thinking, innovative strategy to shape a strategic framework for the Canadian information and technology ecosystem; with a specific focus on the development of standards in the fields of big data governance and the design of artificial intelligence systems.
The partners will share information and coordinate on initiatives to enhance understanding around the critical role that standards can play in facilitating innovation and addressing the ethical use of big data and artificial intelligence.
With industry and civil society working together, approaches to managing the economic, social, and cultural impacts can start to be defined, while policies for smart cities, big data analytics, and AI, can be created.
“There is an urgent need to strengthen standards for a more ethical use of artificial intelligence and big data. Canada can be a leader in developing the foundations needed to create an environment that fosters innovation and growth for Canadian companies and users. CIGI is proud to be working in partnership with the CIO Strategy Council and the IEEE in helping inform what these standards should look like and a framework for international data governance,” said Aaron Shull, Managing Director and General Counsel at CIGI.
“The digital economy is commoditizing personal data at an accelerating rate. New and emerging technologies using machine learning and artificial intelligence are set to expand the limits of what is possible with data collection and analysis. We have reached a defining point where collective action is needed in order to define the right rules, implement the right practices, and adopt the right standards that will protect the personal information of consumers, while preserving and propelling the prosperity of Canadian businesses in the global innovation economy,” said Keith Jansa, VP Standards and Innovation, CIO Strategy Council.
“IEEE is committed to examining the ethical questions around intelligent and autonomous systems, and to offering practical guidance for system designers and developers,” said Konstantinos Karachalios, managing director, IEEE Standards Association (IEEE-SA). “IEEE-SA has established several global collaborative programs and initiatives to promote these goals, and we are excited to extend our work in this area through this bilateral strategic partnership with CIGI and CIOSC.”
“IEEE, as a global organization, has a strong Canadian presence,” said Maike Luiken, president, IEEE Canada. “The active participation of Canadian engineers, scientists, technologists and policy experts in this new joint partnership is vital as we examine these crucial questions regarding big data, data governance, machine learning, autonomous systems and related topics that impact our future at every level: personal, local, regional, and global.”
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