Canada Champions Equitable AI Governance at the United Nations
Canada is actively advocating for a safe and inclusive rollout of artificial intelligence on the global stage, with the country’s ambassador to the United Nations making the technology a central diplomatic priority.
David Lametti, Canada’s ambassador to the UN, says artificial intelligence has become one of his team’s key priorities in New York. He says Canada is working alongside countries around the world to ensure that the rapidly developing technology advances in a way that is safe and does not disproportionately benefit only the world’s wealthiest nations.
A Call for UN Leadership on AI Governance
“AI governance is something the UN has to take care of – it has a responsibility,” Lametti told The Canadian Press.
He emphasized the unique role the United Nations can play in bringing together tech giants and nations on a more equal footing. “The United Nations remains crucial, it remains perhaps the only institution in the world that can convene this kind of discussion on a more or less equal basis between Meta, Amazon Web, Microsoft, Apple and Google – and all these other countries,” he said.
Lametti officially began his role last November, and he estimates that AI has already occupied between 10 and 15 percent of his time. He noted that there is “definite consensus” among nations on the need for security in AI systems, but expressed concern that emerging markets, particularly in Asia, could be left behind in the technological race.
AI on the Global Stage
Artificial intelligence was a major topic at the G7 summit in France earlier this month, where leading economies attempted to find common ground on how to regulate digital platforms without stifling economic growth.
Lametti stressed the importance of giving all countries a voice in shaping how AI is adopted worldwide. “All these countries in the world, about 190, don’t want to be just technology users,” he said. “They want to have a voice in the adoption. The UN remains the only place where they can do that.”
A Personal and Professional Commitment
Lametti’s focus on AI governance is not new. He noted that he worked on the issue more than a decade ago in his previous role as Canada’s federal justice minister and as a law professor at McGill University.
“I think I had a special experience there that will be beneficial to Canada and the world. So I’m definitely making this a personal priority. It’s in line with the government’s priorities around AI security and AI development – both together,” he said.
Looking ahead, Lametti said he will be attending the AI for Good Global Summit in Geneva next month. “This will move quickly and this will be important,” he said.
Recent Canadian AI Initiatives at the UN
In May, Lametti hosted the chair of the International AI Safety Report at Canada’s UN mission for an event focused on how middle powers can promote the safe use of AI. The report highlighted a wide range of risks associated with the technology, spanning from extortion, loneliness, information manipulation, and cyberattacks to the development of biological and chemical weapons.
Last June, Canada co-hosted a panel discussion with Brazil exploring how inclusive AI can empower people with disabilities, indigenous peoples, and women — while also cautioning that the technology could lead to further inequalities if not deployed responsibly.
Continuity and New Priorities
Prime Minister Mark Carney appointed Lametti as Canada’s UN ambassador last fall after he served as Carney’s principal secretary over the summer. The two share a long-standing connection, having played together on the Oxford University ice hockey team in the 1990s.
Lametti replaced Bob Rae, who frequently made headlines with outspoken comments that generally reflected the Trudeau government’s policies. Lametti said he continues to pursue many of Rae’s priorities, including a working group focused on Haiti’s long-term economic development and democratic transition.
Since 2021, gangs have controlled much of the Caribbean nation, creating a humanitarian crisis and significant security concerns for much of the Western Hemisphere. Lametti said Haiti touches on “all three pillars of the founding document of the United Nations,” namely peace and security, human rights, and living standards.
He acknowledged that some issues, such as advocacy for the Rohingya — who face brazen violence from Myanmar officials and Buddhist extremists — have received less attention under his tenure. However, he was careful to frame this as a matter of prioritization rather than a demotion of those causes.
“Because I have not taken on other commitments in Asia that Ambassador Rae had taken on, this should not be viewed as a demotion, but rather as a prioritization by me,” Lametti said.
