The Quebec government’s decision not to hold a parliamentary commission on the conversational artificial intelligence agent, ChatGPT, has been criticized by the Liberal Party and Quebec Solidaire. Both parties are denouncing the government’s lack of transparency on the matter and want to hear from experts on the risks involved in this technology.
Last April, the Liberal Party’s Frédéric Beauchemin raised concerns about artificial intelligence in the House, resulting in a request for a commission. Over a thousand experts in artificial intelligence, including Yoshua Bengio and Elon Musk, have called for a six-month pause in research into this technology.
Quebec Solidaire MNA Haroun Bouazzi believes that the government’s decision is irresponsible and that jobs will be lost, in addition to the risks posed to democracy. In response, Minister for the Economy Pierre Fitzgibbon stated that the government is already consulting with experts, including Bengio, on the matter and that the results of these consultations will be made public.
Despite this, the government’s decision has not been well received, and concerns around artificial intelligence and the risks it presents will remain an important issue. The lack of a parliamentary commission means that experts will be unable to present their views and arguments publicly, leaving many in the dark when it comes to this rapidly developing technology.
It remains to be seen how this decision will impact the broader conversation around artificial intelligence, but what is clear is that it highlights the need for more robust public discourse on the matter.
