The Montreal AI Ethics Institute (MAIEI) is delighted to announce its membership in the AI Alliance. This collaborative venture kicked off with an event in Toronto on June 17, co-hosted with IBM, Meta and ServiceNow to start this year’s Collision Conference 2024.
AI Alliance and Its Mission
Founded in 2023, the AI Alliance consists of technology developers, researchers, and industry leaders dedicated to fostering safe and responsible AI. The AI Alliance focuses on promoting scientific integrity, safety, security, and diversity in AI applications.
MAIEI’s involvement in the AI Alliance supports our commitment to open innovation, which is essential for developing effective and equitable AI solutions.
Highlights from the AI Alliance Happy Hour
The kick-off event, held on June 17 at Hotel X, provided an opportunity for key players in the AI industry to discuss important topics such as open innovation and responsible AI adoption.
Deb Pimentel, President of IBM Canada, highlighted the significance of the gathering in a LinkedIn post:
“Just wrapped up an incredible evening to kick off Collision Conf this year with our AI Alliance counterparts including Meta and the Montreal AI Ethics Institute. We discussed the value of open source innovation, responsible AI adoption and the bright future for #GenerativeAI leadership in Canada. The energy in the room was electric, and I’m more confident than ever that Canada is poised well to take the lead in this space.”
Speakers included:
- Anthony Annunziata, AI Open Strategy and the AI Alliance, IBM – Host
- Deb Pimentel, President, IBM Canada & GM Technology, Canada, IBM
- Kevin Chan, Global Policy Campaigns Strategy Director, Meta
- Nicholas Chapados, VP of AI Research, ServiceNow
- Diego Maniloff, Machine Learning Engineer, Hugging Face
- Rebecca Finlay, CEO, Partnership on AI
- Renjie Butalid, Co-Founder, Montreal AI Ethics Institute
During the event, Renjie Butalid shared insights into MAIEI’s efforts to make AI ethics more accessible. He highlighted The AI Ethics Brief newsletter, which reaches over 13,000+ subscribers from diverse sectors including industry, policy, and academia, who are eager to stay informed on the latest on AI ethics research and responsible AI applications.
Connecting with the Media
The event also provided a valuable opportunity to connect with media professionals and journalists, fostering relationships that enhance public dialogue about AI ethics. It was an excellent occasion for MAIEI to engage with both new and familiar faces in the media, enhancing our outreach and impact.
Looking Forward
Aligned with the AI Alliance, MAIEI is focused on enhancing AI safety through open innovation and transparency. This approach ensures we are collectively addressing the right risks with robust, community-driven AI risk management frameworks in place, paving the way for AI solutions that broadly benefit society.
As we continue our journey with the AI Alliance, we look forward to furthering our mission of ensuring the ethical, safe, and inclusive development of AI.
Note: Special shout out to Melissa Turesky and Sarah Benchaita from IBM for organizing a great Happy Hour event to kick off this year’s Collision Conference!