A s the screen sector continues to grapple with the potential implications of artificial intelligence (AI), the Canadian federal government has unveiled a $2.4 billion investment in a bid to accelerate responsible adoption of the technology.

The bulk of the funding, announced Sunday (April 7), is geared toward the development of Canada’s AI infrastructure, with $2 billion allocated for access to computing capabilities for researchers and startups. However, the investment also includes $5.1 million to the enforcement of the proposed Artificial Intelligence and Data Act (AIDA), which is meant to regulate the use of AI.

While the announcement does mention the creative industries, it’s in the context of workers and sectors that may be negatively impacted by the adoption of AI. To tackle the issue, the government has earmarked $50 million toward the Sectoral Workforce Solutions Program to “provide new skills training for workers in potentially disrupted sectors and communities.”

The Sectoral Workforce Solutions Program is designed to help certain sectors address emerging and ongoing workforce needs through training and other creative solutions. The Ministry of Employment and Social Development of Canada did not respond to a request for comment as of press time regarding how the program will support the creative sector.

Canadian screen industry unions and guilds have been warning the government of the threat AI poses to creative workers in the country over the last year.

The Writers Guild of Canada (WGC) issued a letter to then-Minister of Canadian Heritage Pablo Rodriguez and Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry François-Philippe Champagne last June calling for stronger protections for human creators under the Copyright Act and at the funding level at organizations such as Telefilm Canada and the Canada Media Fund.

At the time, a spokesperson for Minister Champagne responded with a statement that the government “will take the time to discuss with experts on how we can address the situation and determine the appropriate tools to protect Canadian creators.”

Representatives of the Directors Guild of Canada (DGC) and the Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists’ (ACTRA) detailed the potential existential threat of generative AI to the Standing Committee on Industry and Technology in February during its ongoing study of Bill C-27.

DGC National executive director David Forget stated that AIDA does not uphold fundamental copyright principles in its current form, while ACTRA National president Eleanor Noble said the bill also doesn’t include strong enough protections for actors, whose likeness and voice can be manipulated to harm their reputation.

Bill C-27, which was created to enact AIDA, the Consumer Privacy Protection Act and the Personal Information and Data Protection Tribunal Act, is still being studied by the House of Commons committee. It will eventually head back to the House for a third reading. The bill will then need to be read and potentially referred for study at the Senate.

Other measures mentioned in the $2.4 billion investment announcement include the creation of a Canadian AI Safety Institute, with $50 million allocated for the safe development and employment of AI; $200 million via the Regional Development Agencies to accelerate AI adoption in sectors such as agriculture, clean technology, health care and manufacturing; and $100 million to the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program’s AI assist initiative to help small and mid-sized businesses adopt AI.

With files from Taimur Sikander Mirza

Photo by Leon Neal/Getty Images