Canada joins 20-nation call for stronger AI oversight as Carney signs UN statement

Canada was among 20 countries that issued a joint statement at the UN General Assembly calling for stronger oversight of artificial intelligence, even as the United States rejected any push to regulate the technology, The Canadian Press reported.

What the statement says

Prime Minister Mark Carney signed the statement, which warns that “the rapid development of frontier AI models poses serious risks to safety and security if not appropriately managed.”

“Recently we have seen capable AI systems circumventing testing safeguards, exploiting vulnerabilities and gaining unauthorized access to real-world systems,” it says.

It urges UN member states to “explore creating an international institution, able to set standards, enable verification, and convene states when capability thresholds are crossed.” Finland, Norway, Germany, Ireland, South Africa and Turkey were among the other signatories.

Warnings about the risks AI poses to humans, and documented cases of AI bots disregarding human instructions, have prompted global alarm in recent weeks.

Canada’s role at home and abroad

Artificial Intelligence Minister Evan Solomon said Wednesday that Canada is working with other countries on AI safety, but suggested the government is not taking a leading role internationally. He told reporters in Ottawa he met with international counterparts after Carney spoke with other leaders about setting up a “technology stability” board to regulate AI.

“We are absolutely advocating alongside our partners to work together to set up… regulation on AI safety and reliability,” Solomon said.

Asked whether Canada is taking a leadership role, Solomon pointed to domestic legislation, including proposed regulations on AI chatbots. He also said Canada is taking a “very leading” role by investing $150 million in Canadian AI pioneer Yoshua Bengio’s efforts to build safer AI.

Bengio at the Security Council

The Canadian Press said in its Sept. 23 report that Bengio was due to address the UN Security Council on Wednesday, which was also to hear from major AI companies.