Trent University Co-Launches First Canadian Association for the Philosophy of AI

Trent University is leading a country-wide network of experts in examining and informing ethical, social and human implications of AI, co-launching the first Canadian Association for the Philosophy of AI.

Photo courtesy of Trent University.

Two Canadian scholars have launched the first and only Canadian Association for the Philosophy of Artificial Intelligence (CAPAI) to address Canada’s AI landscape.

“While Canada has strong communities of researchers working on AI from technical and policy perspectives, there was no dedicated space for philosophers of AI to connect. Networking and collaboration that once happened in isolation can now take place in a more organized, systematic, and efficient way,” says Dr. Martina Orlandi, co-founder of CAPAI and assistant professor in AI degree programs at Trent University Durham Greater Toronto Area.

Co-founded alongside Dr. Nicholas Dunn, assistant professor of Philosophy at the University of Lethbridge, CAPAI is said to bring together scholars and their work examining both foundational questions, such as the nature of intelligence, cognition and decision-making, and urgent ethical and social concerns, including AI’s impact on labour, healthcare, bias, surveillance and democracy.

“AI is accelerating faster than institutions and policies can keep up, and philosophers have an important role to play in helping articulate the values and principles that should guide how these technologies are designed and deployed. Without that clarity, we risk allowing innovation to outpace reflection,” said Dr. Dunn. 

Both scholars emphasize that the increase in AI adoption and the ways platforms are being used are raising deeper questions about human identity and well-being. Researchers are increasingly focused more on how AI is implemented in the social sphere.

CAPAI has 14 members and has introduced a national website and online speaker series, with plans for in-person meetings and public engagement.

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