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Virtual
1:30 pm to 2:30 pm (ET)
English, with interpretation in French
Online
1 hour
All public servants at all levels
Every institution wrestling with AI right now is caught between two anxieties: the fear of moving too slowly and being left behind, and the fear of moving too quickly and getting it wrong. For the federal public service, where the stakes are measured in public trust, service to Canadians, and the integrity of democratic institutions, neither fear is irrational. Yet, both taken alone are paralyzing.
This special event features Abdi Aidid, the 2025–2026 Ian D. Shugart Visiting Scholar, who will explore how public service leaders must balance innovation and responsibility in the age of AI. The discussion will examine how public servants can uphold their responsibilities to citizens, colleagues, the public trust, and the values that define professional public service in Canada as AI continues to advance. It will also explore how institutions can distinguish between risks that require caution and barriers that prevent progress, while strengthening capacity across departments and generations of public servants to make informed decisions.
Participants will be invited to challenge prevailing orthodoxies, think critically about the future, and explore how public sector leadership and institutional capacity must evolve to meet the demands of an era increasingly shaped by AI.
Learn more about the Ian D. Shugart Visiting Scholar Initiative.
Abdi Aidid, BA, JD, LLM, Assistant Professor, University of Toronto Faculty of Law; Canada Research Chair, Artificial Intelligence and Access to Justice; Ian D. Shugart Visiting Scholar 2025–2026, Canada School of Public Service
Taki Sarantakis, President, Canada School of Public Service
