Responsible AI in the public service will be measured by what happens after the rules are written

The federal government has begun building guardrails for AI, but a safeguard that is never tested or audited risks becoming a good intention rather than a meaningful protection.

Treasury Board President Shafqat Ali, left, and AI Minister Evan Solomon. Responsible oversight of AI requires more than placing a person at the end of an automated process. The decision-maker must understand what the system measured, recognize unreliable output, and be empowered to question and explain the result, writes Lorin MacDonald. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

Opinion

BY LORIN MACDONALD

August 31, 2026

Canada is moving quickly to embrace artificial intelligence, which offers real opportunities to improve productivity and modernize public services. The harder question is what happens after the technology is deployed.

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