CEIMIA

Artificial intelligence based on

ethic human rights inclusion diversity innovation economic growth

CEIMIA contributes to the responsible development of artificial intelligence (AI) based on ethical principles, human rights, inclusion, diversity, innovation and economic growth.

ABOUT THE INTERNATIONAL CENTRE OF EXPERTISE IN MONTRÉAL ON ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (CEIMIA)

Artificial intelligence (AI), after many years as a developing science, is now going mainstream as a host of different applications start to emerge. Since AI is sure to have as much impact on our daily lives as in the workplace, voices from around the world are calling for the deployment of this technology to be done in a responsible way and for the benefit of all. It was in this spirit that the CEIMIA and the Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI) were created.

CEIMIA was created to play a leading role internationally by supporting GPAI activities and projects and thus contribute to the responsible development of artificial intelligence based on ethical principles, human rights, inclusion, diversity, innovation and economic growth, taking particular account of the interests and contribution of emerging and developing countries.

CEIMIA is funded by Montreal International through contributions from the governments of Canada and Quebec, which have joined forces and committed to supporting the centre with investments of $10 million and $5 million, respectively, over five years.

The activities of CEIMIA revolve around two poles. The first pole is to support GPAI international expert groups that are designing and launching applied AI projects rooted in international and multi-stakeholder collaborations and the responsible development of AI. The second pole of activity is to advance the skills of stakeholders within the Canadian and Quebec ecosystem in the area of responsible development of AI.

Our ambition

The objective behind the creation of CEIMIA is to enrich and further promote the depth of expertise in the Quebec and Canadian ecosystem for artificial intelligence. Our ambition is to build an internationally renowned centre of expertise in Montreal for the responsible development of AI in service to humanity.

About the Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI)

The Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI) is a multi-stakeholder initiative which aims to bridge the gap between theory and practice on AI by supporting cutting-edge research and applied activities on AI-related priorities.

Built around a shared commitment to the OECD Principles on Artificial Intelligence, GPAI fosters international cooperation by gathering engaged minds and expertise from science, industry, civil society, governments, international organizations and academia.

Launched in 2020, GPAI is the fruition of an idea developed within the G7, under the Canadian and French presidencies.

GPAI’s 15 founding members are Australia, Canada, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, Slovenia, the United Kingdom, the United States and the European Union.

In its early years, GPAI experts will collaborate across four Working Group themes: 1) Responsible AI (including a subgroup on AI and pandemic response); 2) Data Governance; 3) The Future of Work; and 4) Innovation & Commercialization.

Plus d'informations

Within the Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI)

Working Groups

CEIMIA is one of the two centres of expertise launched under the Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI), with the other being located in Paris. GPAI will work on four themes, two of which will be supported by CEIMIA: responsible use of AI and data governance.

Responsible use of AI
The mission of this working group is to “foster and contribute to the responsible development, use and governance of human-centred AI systems, in congruence with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.” In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have also formed an ad hoc subgroup to support the responsible development, use and governance of AI in this specific area. Learn more about the responsible use of AI working group on the GPAI website.

Data governance
Closely aligned with GPAI’s overall mission, this working group aims to “collate evidence, shape research, undertake applied AI projects and provide expertise on data governance, to promote data for AI being collected, used, shared, archived and deleted in ways that are consistent with human rights, inclusion, diversity, innovation, economic growth, and societal benefit, while seeking to address the UN Sustainable Development Goals.” Learn more about the data governance working group on the GPAI website.

2020 Montréal Summit

Within the GPAI, the centres of expertise in Montreal and Paris are responsible for organizing the annual plenary session. With Canada hosting the first of these sessions in December 2020, CEIMIA has been entrusted with the responsibility of organizing this first summit, which will be virtual given the context resulting from the pandemic. For the occasion, CEIMIA has formed a partnership with C2 International, a Montreal firm recognized for its expertise in the designing and organizing some of the most avant-garde business events in the world. For more details on the event, the program and the various topics to be discussed during the summit, click here: 2020 Montréal Summit.

Within the Quebec and Canadian AI ecosystem

CEIMIA’s mission is also to advance the skills of stakeholders within the Canadian and Quebec ecosystem in the area of responsible development of AI. To this end, CEIMIA intends to set up training programs, promote multi-stakeholder and international collaboration, and facilitate networking at the international level. Over the next few months, CEIMIA will be launching a consultation process with the AI community in Quebec and Canada to develop this program.

CEIMIA is led by a group of experienced professionals who are dedicated to its mission.

Sophie Fallaha

Executive director

Alexandra Dewez

Executive Assistant

Lama Saouma

AI Initiative lead

Noémie Gervais

Project Coordinator

Edward Teather

Head of AI Initiatives

Mathieu Marcotte

Head of AI Ecosystem and Special Project

The governance of CEIMIA is ensured by a Board of Directors drawn from governments, academia, the private sector and civil society:

Marc-Étienne Ouimette

Global Lead AI Policy (AWS) . Amazon

Lyse Langlois

Executive Director · Observatoire international sur les impacts sociétaux de l’intelligence artificielle et du numérique (OBVIA)

Dewey Murdick

Director, Center for Security and Emerging Technology · Georgetown University

Ashley Casovan

Executive Director · AI Institute

Sonia Sennik

Executive Director · Creative Destruction Lab (CDL)

Marietje Schaake

International Policy Director · Cyber Policy Center / International Policy Fellow · The Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence

Jean-Philbert Nsengimana

Africa Managing Director · The Commons Project Foundation

Philippe Beaudoin

Co-Founder and CEO · Waverly

John Hepburn

CEO · MITACS

Our partners