The Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada is looking for feedback on how the country should address risks related to artificial intelligence.
It is hoping to update Canada’s private sector privacy law, while also examining how AI relates to the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA).
The office says that AI presents fundamental challenges to all of PIPEDA’s foundational privacy principles, and has outlined areas where the act could be updated.
“Responsible innovation involving artificial intelligence systems must take place in a regulatory environment that respects fundamental rights and creates the conditions for trust in the digital economy to flourish,” the office said in a statement.
One of the ideas that the office has proposed is incorporating a definition of AI within the law to clarify which legal rules would apply to it.
The office is also considering adopting a rights-based approach in the law where data protection principles would be implemented as a means to protect a broader right to privacy. This means that AI tech should be designed and developed in a way that respects fundamental human rights.
Another idea proposes that individuals should be provided with the right to explanation and increased transparency when they are subject to automated processing.
The office has also suggested the idea of demonstrable accountability for the development and implementation of AI processing.
“The ability for an organization to demonstrate accountability becomes even more important in cases where consent is not required, and organizations are expected to close the protective gap through accountability,” the office explained.
The commissioner’s office is inviting stakeholders to provide feedback by March 13th.
