Federal government used AI in hundreds of initiatives, new research database shows

Canada's federal government has used artificial intelligence in nearly 300 projects and initiatives, new research has found — including to help predict the outcome of tax cases, sort temporary visa applications and promote diversity in hiring.

Joanna Redden, an associate professor at Western University, pieced together the database using news reports, documents tabled in Parliament and access-to-information requests. 

Of the 303 automated tools in the register as of Wednesday, 95 per cent were used by federal government agencies.

"There needs to be far more public debate about what kinds of systems should be in use, and there needs to be more public information available about how these systems are being used," Redden said in an interview.