As AI use balloons, Canada signs international, legally binding human rights treaty

Author Sharlene Gandhi

Canada, along with Japan, is the latest signatory on the world’s first international, legally binding treaty on artificial intelligence and human rights.

This move “advances Canada’s vision for a rights-respecting, law-abiding, and inclusive approach to the global governance of AI,” according to a press release from Global Affairs Canada.

The framework applies to private actors and public bodies – and the private actors that act on behalf of public authorities as well. It states that AI systems must comply with principles like human dignity, equality and non-discrimination, privacy and data protection, transparency and oversight.

The framework convention “aims to fill any legal gaps that may result from rapid technological advances.” However, “in order to stand the test of time, the Framework Convention does not regulate technology and is essentially technology-neutral.”

In Canada, legislation that would govern private companies’ use of AI is currently on pause as parliament is prorogued. For federal public sector bodies, the government continues to carry out consultations on where and how can best be applied.

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  • Sharlene Gandhi is the Future of Good editorial fellow on digital transformation.

    Sharlene has been reporting on responsible business, environmental sustainability and technology in the UK and Canada since 2018. She has worked with various organizations during this time, including the Stanford Social Innovation Review, the Pentland Centre for Sustainability in Business at Lancaster University, AIGA Eye on Design, Social Enterprise UK and Nature is a Human Right. Sharlene moved to Toronto in early 2023 to join the Future of Good team, where she has been reporting at the intersections of technology, data and social purpose work. Her reporting has spanned several subject areas, including AI policy, cybersecurity, ethical data collection, and technology partnerships between the private, public and third sectors.

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