Canada and the United States are heavily investing in AI, framing it as central to economic growth, national security, and a modern public service. Yet fundamental questions remain: What vision is guiding AI governance? Who benefits—and who bears the risks and costs?
This event took place on September 2, 2026, to launch Evidence for Democracy’s seminal report, “From Principles to Practice: A Comparative Analysis of AI Governance in Canada and the United States”, which critically assesses both countries’ approaches to AI governance: where the two countries’ strategies align, where they differ, and what remains missing. This was a dynamic panel discussion on public trust in AI, which brought together panel experts in AI governance, science policy, and technology to explore:
- whether current strategies offer a coherent long-term vision beyond adoption, competitiveness, and infrastructure growth;
- how governments should account for the energy, water, land, and community impacts of AI infrastructure;
- whether existing policies adequately protect human rights, privacy, and fairness;
- what effective leadership, independent oversight, and accountability should look like; and
- how Canada and the United States can pursue innovation while building public trust and delivering genuine public value
Together, the speakers considered what it would take to move from broad principles and ambitious promises toward AI governance that is transparent, sustainable, democratic, and accountable to the public.