As the federal government makes headway on its Pan-Canadian Artificial Intelligence Strategy focused on commercialization, standards, and talent, two Canadian scholars have launched the first and only Canadian Association for the Philosophy of Artificial Intelligence (CAPAI) to address a longstanding gap in Canada's AI landscape: a coordinated, national forum for philosophers working on artificial intelligence.
Dr. Martina Orlandi, assistant professor of Artificial Intelligence Studies at Trent University Durham GTA, co-founded the first national association dedicated to the philosophy of artificial intelligence in Canada.
"While Canada has strong communities of researchers working on AI from technical and policy perspectives, there was no dedicated space for philosophers of AI to connect. Networking and collaboration that once happened in isolation can now take place in a more organized, systematic and efficient way," says Dr. Martina Orlandi, a co-founder of CAPAI and an assistant professor in the new AI degree programs at Trent University Durham Greater Toronto Area (GTA).
Co-founded alongside Dr. Nicholas Dunn, assistant professor of Philosophy at the University of Lethbridge, CAPAI brings together scholars and their work examining both foundational questions, such as the nature of intelligence, cognition, and decision-making, and urgent ethical and social concerns, including AI's impact on labour, healthcare, bias, surveillance, and democracy.
"AI is accelerating faster than institutions and policies can keep up, and philosophers have an important role to play in helping articulate the values and principles that should guide how these technologies are designed and deployed. Without that clarity, we risk allowing innovation to outpace reflection," said Dr. Dunn.
While much of the interest in AI applications has been focused on efficiency and automation, both scholars emphasize that the increase in AI adoption and the ways platforms are being used are raising deeper questions about human identity and well-being. Researchers are increasingly focused more on how AI is implemented in the social sphere.
"Our jobs, our struggles, and our decision-making are deeply tied to how we understand ourselves. As AI systems begin to replace or reshape these activities, we're forced to ask whether a life made easier by technology is necessarily a more fulfilling one," says Professor Orlandi. "When we see people using AI chats as therapists or entering into relationships with AI personas, what does that say about our well-being today and do we fully understand the consequences of those interactions?"
Since launching earlier this fall, CAPAI has 14 members and has introduced a national website and online speaker series, with plans for in-person meetings and public engagement. The association also aims to make Canadian research in the philosophy of AI more accessible to students, policymakers, and the broader public through its website, ensuring philosophical insight becomes a foundational part of Canada's AI conversation rather than an afterthought.
Students part of the solution
Trent University Durham GTA's interdisciplinary approach to teaching and research has made it a natural home for CAPAI, particularly following the launch of its Artificial Intelligence programs, offering both a Bachelor of Arts (another Canadian first) and Bachelor of Science degrees. These degrees reflect Trent's broader commitment to examining AI as a technical and science field, as well as a relevant field in the humanities.
In the classroom, this approach translates into critical engagement with real-world questions. Prof. Orlandi's research examines the ethical implications of outsourcing decision-making in healthcare contexts, including organ transplantation, while student discussions increasingly focus on emerging concerns such as deepfakes and the societal value (or lack thereof) of certain AI applications.
For more information about the Artificial Intelligence degree programs visit Trent's website. For details on the Canadian Association for the Philosophy of Artificial Intelligence, visit capai-acpia.ca.
