University of Calgary tech expert cautions about embracing Al, warns more regulation needed

A new $500-billion partnership to grow AI infrastructure south of the border has caught the attention of experts in Alberta.

As Donald Trump gives a thumbs up to a multibillion dollar investment in private sector Al infrastructure, one Calgary tech expert is urging caution when it comes to AI.

Dr. Tom Keenan, a professor at the University of Calgary, says more regulation is needed, but acknowledges it could be tricky.

“There’s one big problem with AI regulation: everybody has to agree,” Keenan said. “Is China going to agree? Is North Korea going to agree? It’s such a hot technology that somewhere in the world, someone is going to be working on it in a secret lab, and if they make a big breakthrough, it’s not going to matter if all the big guys say, ‘Oh no, we are not going to do this,’ because it happens.”

Keenan says even getting a few countries on the same page could be hard.

On Monday, Trump reversed a 2023 Joe Biden executive order aimed at monitoring and regulating AI risks.

The next day, three top American tech companies announced they’re creating a new company, Stargate, to grow infrastructure.

In Alberta, proposals have been made to further expand AI infrastructure near Pincher Creek and in northern parts of the province.

The latter has seen work begun on a centre that could hold computing resources to develop and train new models.

Both proposals have heard some opposition, and Keenan says it’s not entirely surprising.

“There are possibilities that we get too involved with AI, and we trust it too much,” Keenan said. “I’m definitely afraid that it will exceed our mental processing capabilities. So we need to be careful about growing (too) quickly.”

Meanwhile, a new Calgary agency is taking advantage of the growing AI sector.

The company, 0260 AI, provides education and strategy development for companies in need.

“We saw an opportunity for businesses where they were really lacking in knowledge of what to do, and so that’s why we jumped into this business,” creator Jeff Bradshaw said. “The knowledge gap is widening every day (because) the technology is moving so quick.”

Bradshaw is one Albertan who sees growth potential in the sector and wants to be involved.

“There are just so many opportunities that I think we could capitalize on, and really use the technical knowledge and the experience we have here (in Alberta).”

CTV News reached out to the province to hear more about its AI strategy, but Nate Glubish, minister of technology and innovation, wasn’t available for an interview before publication.