Activist Esra’a Al-Shafei has gone to extreme lengths to keep her image offline. But one day that privacy was breached — or so she thought. 

Her story is just one of many of the real life impacts of our development and use of artificial intelligence. 

Can Canada create a guardrail good enough to protect us — and our data — from these kinds of harms? Or have we passed the point of no return? 

Host: Jesse Brown 

Credits: Cherise Seucharan (Reporter), Tristan Capacchione (Audio Editor and Technical Producer), Bruce Thorson (Senior Producer), Annette Ejiofor (Managing Editor), Karyn Pugliese (Editor-in-Chief)

Further reading: 

• Proposed AI regulations need more scrutiny, groups urge Ottawa, Global News, Sept 25, 2023
• Canadian AI experts issue letter in support of draft law aimed at curbing technology’s risks, Globe and Mail, April 18, 2023
• Interview Esra'a Al Shafei "Internet is window to the world in Bahrein", TedxAmsterdam
• News coverage of artificial intelligence reflects business and government hype — not critical voices, The Conversation, April 19, 2023
• Bianca Wylie’s blog series on AIDA

Additional music by Audio Network

Sponsors: Douglas, Indochino, Squarespace

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Broadcast on:

15 Jan 2024