With the increasing use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in government service delivery, there is an immediate need to operationalize ethics for responsible AI usage. The Government of Canada’s (GC) Human Resources (HR) and Pay modernization project aims to align its AI ethics with GC policies, standards, and best practices through the AI Operational Ethics Review Board (OERB).
The OERB focuses on HR and Pay modernization efforts led by Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC), ensuring ethical principles are integrated into each phase of AI implementation to promote trust, transparency, and fairness. The OERB serves as an advisory body, providing expert advice and ethical considerations to inform product owners' decisions.
Chaired by the Chief Data Officer for Human Capital Management at PSPC, the interdisciplinary committee includes executive-level members from various GC departments and agencies with expertise in emerging technology management, data governance, HR and pay operations, applied ethics in data and technology, and applied ethics in GC program management.
The committee meets quarterly, in a hybrid format.