Keeping it practical: AI ethics for National Statistical Organizations

Music City Center 

The use of artificial intelligence (AI) is developing at an accelerating pace within National Statistical Organizations (NSO). Just recently, a Centre for AI Research and Excellence (CAIRE) has been created to help achieve Statistics Canada's AI goals such as data processing and automation. However, while AI carries a lot of promising opportunities, it is important to ensure that ethical concerns are addressed. In this presentation, it will be shown how Statistics Canada ensures that scientific and ethical standards are maintained as it expands its use of AI. A case will be made for the importance of contextualizing the use of algorithms within the mandate of a NSO, which, in the case of Statistics Canada, does not allow the use of personal data for administrative purposes. It will be argued that, in many instances, the introduction of AI seems to amplify known challenges for which we already have frameworks. This approach will be contrasted with others that rely more heavily on specific 'AI ethics' frameworks while trying to anticipate the evolution of AI and its impact on society.