Taking advantage of generative AI to secure Canada’s future 

With the meteoric rise of generative AI impacting the way we live and work, WatSPEED was invited to headline a keynote at the Institute of Public Administration of Canada’s (IPAC) 2023 Annual Conference in Ottawa, Ontario. The session focused on how government can seize the opportunity to supercharge itself and its workforce, and how policy makers can play a critical role in catalyzing innovation in business.  

“AI is a new technology that is fundamentally changing society,” Joël Blit, Waterloo professor and WatSPEED partner, told the crowd of nearly 1,600. “We have a choice – we can sit on the sidelines, or we can embrace this and, in a responsible way, build a stronger Canada.”   

Image of Aaron Pereira speaking at 2023 IPAC Annual Conference

Aaron Pereira, managing director, client partnerships for WatSPEED, moderated the panel, which included Blit and partners from Microsoft, RBC, and Digital Public. 

“This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to change the trajectory of Canada,” Blit said. He outlined a productivity and innovation gap in Canada, and the chance to increase Canada’s global competitiveness and long-term resilience.  

How can government enable AI innovation for all Canadians? The role of government, according to Blit, is threefold: 

  1. Do no harm; create a regulatory framework with harm reduction as a key tenant. 
  2. Promote AI innovation through convening, financial support, and investment in talent. 
  3. Ensure that all Canadians benefit, through retraining, redistribution, generous social safety nets, and competition laws. 

The session left no doubt that there is a promising opportunity for Canadian public servants to capitalize on AI – both in optimizing efficiency within government, and on enabling AI innovation across the country.