This piece originally appeared in Ottawa Citizen.
On the campaign trail, Prime Minister Mark Carney listed artifical intelligence (AI) as one of five critical sectors to form the backbone of his industrial strategy. With Carney now set to govern, that’s noteworthy because — compared to other fields — Canada’s greatest AI opportunity lies in an unexpected domain: government itself.
The federal government represents an ideal proving ground for AI transformation. Ottawa’s constitutional commitment to peace, order and good government reflects Canadians’ expectations for reliable, timely essential services. Since 2015, the number of federal public servants has grown more than 40 per cent, and government spending has risen by more than 58 per cent. But this has not translated into improved service.
For example, complaints about Canada Revenue Agency wait times increased 45 per cent in 2023, and increased spending on health care, education and the justice system hasn’t delivered reduced wait times, better test scores, or improved court system outputs. When backlogs emerge and service standards decline, costs multiply for citizens and the economy.
