Briefing Notes – Ethics of AI Society Meeting
Date: June, 19 2026
Time: 4:00 PM
Chair: Matthew Silk
Attendees: Members of the Ethics of AI Society
1. Key Updates from the Society
Recent Activities
- Presentation on bioethics (Horizon Healthcare Network).
- Discussion on AI literacy at UW Teaching & Learning Conference.
- Publication of a paper on AI ethics (building on society discussions).
New Initiative
- Launch of Ethics of AI Podcast (3–4 episodes released; ongoing).
- Invitation for members to participate as contributors and guests.
2. Core Concept: “AI Fallacy”
Definition
- Defined as an unjustified moral distinction between AI-generated and human-generated outputs.
Key Issues
- Potential double standards (e.g., AI vs. human judgment in healthcare).
- Difficulty identifying what is morally unique about AI outputs.
3. Public Resistance to AI – Major Drivers
A. Structural / Practical Concerns
- Environmental impact (data centers, energy use).
- Privacy and centralized data risks.
- Rising costs (e.g., computing, infrastructure).
- Workplace effects:
- Increased monitoring (“AI micromanagement”).
- Token/reliance costs and inefficiencies.
- Risk of lock-in and long-term dependency.
B. Social / Economic Concerns
- Job displacement and skill erosion.
- Entry-level barriers increasing.
- Potential for elitist labour markets.
C. Cultural & Emotional Factors
- Fear of rapid change and uncertainty.
- Loss of authenticity (art, music, human creativity).
- Distrust of “monolithic AI systems.”
- Emotional disengagement (AI perceived as impersonal).
4. Analysis of Canada’s AI Strategy (“AI for All”)
Overall Assessment
- Viewed as:
- Vague and aspirational rather than actionable.
- More like a framework or political document than a true strategy.
- Heavy use of buzzwords and “flowery language.”
A. Trust vs. “Fostering Trust”
- Concern that:
- Strategy focuses on fostering trust, not earning trust.
- Risk of manipulative framing (confidence vs. accountability).
- Mismatch with existing public skepticism.
B. Adoption Focus
- Strong emphasis on increasing AI adoption across the economy.
- Criticism:
- Focus on adoption rates, not use cases or outcomes.
- Risk of forced or superficial integration.
C. Sovereignty Concerns
- Strategy promotes “sovereign AI.”
- Issues raised:
- Canada lacks key capabilities (e.g., chip manufacturing).
- True sovereignty is questionable due to global dependencies.
- Potential conflicts in trade and regulation.
D. Key Policy Tensions
- Privacy vs. data utilization (especially healthcare).
- Sovereignty vs. environmental/social costs (data centers).
- Innovation vs. democratic safeguards.
- Trust vs. lack of clear accountability mechanisms.
E. Democracy & Governance Concerns
- Vague plans for:
- Combating AI misinformation.
- Safeguarding elections.
- Lack of clarity on:
- Checks and balances.
- Real effectiveness of “human-in-the-loop” systems.
F. AI Literacy
- Seen as:
- A central pillar of the strategy.
- Concerns:
- Risk of becoming exclusionary (“literate vs. illiterate” divide).
- Needs to focus on critical thinking, not just technical literacy.
G. Economic Strategy & Jobs
- Claims:
- Creation of 250,000 jobs.
- Concerns:
- No discussion of job losses.
- Unclear job quality and accessibility.
- Possible mismatch between skills and opportunities.
- Overreliance on youth training pipelines.
H. Strategic Weaknesses
- Lack of clear national specialization (e.g., missed opportunity in translation).
- Overly broad “AI for all” framing.
- Failure to address:
- Indigenous inclusion.
- Regional differences.
- Infrastructure realities (e.g., fragmented healthcare systems).
5. Alternative Strategic Suggestions (from Discussion)
- Focus on niche strengths:
- Agriculture AI.
- Language translation.
- Healthcare (with infrastructure reform).
- Invest in:
- Better training and metacognition.
- Understanding AI limitations.
- Consider a “fast follower” strategy rather than leading globally.
6. Philosophical Themes Discussed
- AI vs. human:
- Truth, sincerity, and “lying” distinctions.
- AI “hallucinations”:
- Not errors in intent, but design properties.
- Risk of:
- Anthropomorphizing AI.
- Over-trusting fluent outputs.
- Importance of:
- Maintaining epistemic caution.
7. Society Organizational Decisions & Plans
A. Structural Changes
- Proposed:
- Creation of a governance structure (small board).
- Roles:
- Communications Officer
- Editor-in-Chief
- Potential transition to:
- Non-profit organization (with possible future incorporation).
B. Rebranding
- new name:
- Ethics of AI Institute (adopted).
C. Future Activities
- Publish member-written articles.
- Expand networking and collaborations.
- Develop AI literacy workshops.
- Continue podcast growth.
8. Next Meeting
- Date: July 17, 2026
- Time: Approximately 4:00 PM
- Tentative Topics:
- AI in agriculture.
- Canadian AI economic integration.
