🧵 4/4
Homegrown resources already reach tens of thousands of Canadians and could be amplified. Toronto Public Library and @mediasmarts.bsky.social are leading the way in building communities that don't just use, but *understand* AI and digital technologies.
#libraries #literacy #AI
🧵 3/4 Funding AI and quantum computing isn't enough. We must invest in people. Canada should act swiftly on a national digital literacy strategy, in cooperation with provinces, and look beyond peer countries like Australia and the UK.
🧵 2/4 I argued Canada ought to focus on the right to digital literacy, as part of the international right to education—a foundational right enabling freedom of expression, conscience, opinion, and the right to work.
🧵 1/4
📢 On human rights and AI: I testified before the Senate's Standing Committee on Human Rights (RIDR) on Jan 23. Full session:
🗞️The Tumbler Ridge tragedy raises difficult questions about platform responsibility, threat reporting, and the balance between public safety and privacy.
Grateful to contribute perspective @vancouversun.bsky.social on the broader governance challenges as policymakers consider next steps.
🧵(3/3) ✍ Big thank you to the wonderful research assistants who helped us on this piece, including Michael Monclou, Elisa Ehrenburg, Karyn Kao, Aleksandra Ristova-Sanyal, and Tony Wu.
🧵(2/3) Professional licensing is an alternative that provides public protections based on privately developed standards that ensure the safety of AI prior to their release—placing the responsibility of acting ethically on the group that knows the tech and can anticipate its effects: AI developers.
🚨New #OpenAccess piece out in Ethics and International Affairs with David A. Lake! @cambup-polsci.cambridge.org
🧵(1/3) Beyond private and state regulation for AI, what about regulating the actual professionals who develop AI?
Big Tech doesn’t just sell services — it governs daily life.
In a new @theglobeandmail.com op-ed, SRI Faculty Affiliate @profwhw.bsky.social argues that platforms function as unelected governors and, accordingly, must be held accountable.
🔗 Read more: www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/arti...
Promotional image for a new issue of "Ethics & International Affairs" featuring a white and blue design with text overlay.
#OpenAccess from the new issue of Ethics & International Affairs -
Governing Artificial Intelligence: Designing Professional Structures for the Predictive Age - https://cup.org/4kSYa24
- @profwhw.bsky.social & David A. Lake
#AI
🗞️ ICYMI: When Big Tech systems fail, everyday life grinds to a halt. That’s not just a tech problem, it’s a governance problem.
My recent op-ed in @theglobeandmail.com offers a sneak peek at the argument in my forthcoming book, Mirrored States.
🔗
🧵5/5 This op-ed is a sneak peek at the arguments I develop more fully in Mirrored States, forthcoming.
🔗 Read the piece here: www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/arti...
🧵4/5 When those systems fail, the absence of governance is felt immediately.
In this piece, I argue that it’s time to stop treating Big Tech as simply “big business” and start recognizing it as Governance—with corresponding responsibilities, accountability, and public oversight.
🧵3/5 In the digital age, Big Tech doesn’t merely provide services. Through data-intensive platforms and cloud infrastructure, technology companies increasingly govern the conditions under which we live, work, and connect.
🧵2/5 Last summer’s CrowdStrike outage grounded flights, froze hospitals, and disrupted everyday life worldwide. The lesson is not just about cybersecurity—it’s about governance.
🧵1/5 I have a new op-ed in The Globe and Mail that offers a preview of my next book.
@profwhw.bsky.social is super sharp on the state of big tech, so read her G&M piece www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/arti... We need to regulate the tech companies.
(Paywall): Big Tech companies govern, unelected, through data-intensive platforms. It’s time we explicitly acknowledge that, writes @profwhw.bsky.social
via @theglobeandmail.com
Over the holidays, I had the pleasure of chatting with CBC's Chris Walker on Daybreak South.
For me, the most significant development in AI in 2025 was the sensation surrounding LLMs—their promise and their limitations. Listen to the segment on CBCListen's website 🎧
This whole convo is fantastic - 1.5 hours of very informative chat on climate justice vs the gross economics of tech
Ft @naomiaklein.bsky.social @profwhw.bsky.social @profhvdv.bsky.social, hosted at @ccj-ubc.bsky.social
youtu.be/27BHQhkK52I
More Battle Rhythm!! I talk with Linna Tam-Seto about CAF personnel stuff and then @profwhw.bsky.social interviews @madisonschramm.bsky.social about her work on democracies fighting dictators. open.substack.com/pub/cdsn/p/e...
Give a listen - I know you'll enjoy learning from @madisonschramm.bsky.social as much as I did!
🚨The video recording of the AI and the Politics of Extraction panel is now live! Watch this fascinating 1.5 hour discussion with @naomiaklein.bsky.social, @profwhw.bsky.social, @mysdick.bsky.social, and @profhvdv.bsky.social as they explore the risks of unfettered AI implementation.
💬 Reminder to save your spot for "AI and the Politics of Extraction" at UBC's Centre for Climate Justice. I'm on a panel moderated by Carol Liao, and we will be discussing the complex political and legal issues raised by AI-enabled resource extraction.
🗓️Nov. 20
🕰️2-3:30pm
📍In-Person & Zoom
This is happening Wednesday! Come join us at UBC's School of Law, where I will be arguing that we have to move beyond “monopoly” to characterize Big Tech’s outsize influence on modern society. Details about registration at the link below 🔗
Really looking forward to visiting UBC's School of Law! If you're interested in Big Tech and governance, come join us on November 19 (either in-person or virtually!) 👩💻
Don't wait to sign up! I'm excited to talking about these very important issues with my fellow panelists! Yea, I'll be talking about human rights. 😉
But the data describe who we are - which is why need human rights more than ever in the digital age. Data have implications for autonomy, dignity, equality, and community. We can't forget that in AI governance efforts.
Just saw the article in NYT by @maxkasy.bsky.social www.nytimes.com/2025/11/02/o... He's absolutely 💯 right about the fact data enable AI.
It's nice to see others out there with the same core arguments I advanced in We, the Data 📘 - without data, we don't have the AI systems we have today.
