AI, Innovation and the Public Good

When Chinese start-up DeepSeek released R1 in January 2025, the groundbreaking open-source artificial intelligence (AI) model rocked the tech industry as a more cost-effective alternative to models running on more advanced chips. The launch coincided with industrial policy gaining popularity as a strategic tool for governments aiming to build AI capacity and competitiveness. Once dismissed under neo-liberal economic frameworks, industrial policy is making a strong comeback with more governments worldwide embracing it to build digital public infrastructure and foster local AI ecosystems.

In this paper, Burcu Kilic examines how the national innovation system framework can guide AI industrial policy to foster innovation and reduce reliance on dominant tech companies.

Since the release of Our Common Agenda, the UN Secretary-General’s vision for the future of global cooperation, and the subsequent Pact for the Future, concern has been growing among several democratic nation-states and civil society groups about the United Nations’ role in advancing an exclusively multilateral approach to internet governance — an approach strikingly different from the bottom-up, multi-stakeholder approach that formed the bedrock of internet governance for the past 20 years. The debate over internet ownership increasingly intensified through polarized views on who should govern artificial intelligence (AI).

In this policy brief, Sabhanaz Rashid Diya examines the multilateral and multi-stakeholder models of internet governance to inform approaches to AI governance, and makes recommendations on how multi-stakeholderism can be reimagined in the age of AI.

As technology races forward, economies teeter on the edge of upheaval, environmental crises loom and security threats multiply, a ruthless reassessment of institutions such as the G7 is required, writes S. Yash Kalash, in this commentary published on the eve of the T7 Summit hosted at CIGI on April 1–2.

Kalash, the chair of Task Force 2: Digitalization of the Global Economy for T7 Canada 2025, describes the event as a “critical lever,” bringing together “leading thinkers and policy experts to shape bold, forward-looking strategies, ensuring the G7 remains a driving force in global governance….By championing transparent AI frameworks, ethical data practices and ironclad cybersecurity regulations, the G7 can anchor the digital future in democratic values.”

“As Meta curtails its fact-checking programs, X becomes a haven for far-right apologetics and Elon Musk fans, and Canadians maintain a high level of content dependence on the United States, we need to reflect: What does this constellation of concerning trends mean for Canada, particularly in the face of increasing foreign interference, proliferating unchecked digital content and shifting dynamics in domestic political discourse, all while our neighbourhood becomes less safe?”

In this op-ed first published by The Hill Times, and in the aftermath of the Hogue Commission, Halyna Padalka and Ann Fitz-Gerald argue the government must now shift from focusing only on election integrity and the policy-making community to seeking a deeper understanding of how everyday Canadians interact with information — particularly on social media platforms — and how foreign narratives infiltrate their media consumption, shape public perception and influence voting preferences over time.

Apr. 8 – 7:00 p.m. EDT (UTC–04:00) – Waterloo, Canada: Disinformation continues to threaten democratic institutions and undermine public trust in Canada, with growing impact. Join us in person the evening of April 8 at the CIGI Auditorium for “Battle for the Truth: Protecting Canadians from Dis- and Misinformation,” a discussion hosted by the Balsillie School of International Affairs (BSIA) in partnership with CIGI.

The event begins with a keynote address by Siim Kumpas, head of the Policy, Strategy, and Global Priority Issues Team within the Strategic Communication Division of the European External Action Service, followed by an in-depth panel discussion with Canadian experts moderated by BSIA Director Ann Fitz-Gerald.

The evening offers a unique opportunity to engage with leading experts on the future of Canada’s information resilience. Learn more about the speakers and reserve your ticket now.

The Digital Policy Hub at CIGI is a collaborative space for emerging scholars and innovative thinkers from the social, natural and applied sciences. Here are the most recent working papers published by Hub fellows from the fall 2024 term.

Ola Mirzoeva: “Dig Deep and Look Up: Applying Canada’s Mining Experience to the Moon”

Jamie Duncan: “Blurred Lines: Civilian Oversight at Canada’s Digital Borders”

Michael P. A. Murphy: “Canada as a Norm Entrepreneur in Quantum Science and Technology”

Follow the links on the Hub webpage to learn more about the Hub scholars and their work.