Project supported in 2020-2022

Ethics and AI in Higher Education: Fostering Responsible Development Following the Montréal Declaration

Project Summary

This project proposes the development of scalable inter-level college/university training on the ethical and social challenges associated with artificial intelligence. More specifically, the project would draw on the deliberative and inclusive process which led to the Montréal Declaration for the Responsible Development of Artificial Intelligence, the object being to provide students and faculty of Université de Montréal and Collège de Rosemont with the tools for handling the challenges inherent in the use of artificial intelligence and, ultimately, for initiating appropriate action in their respective fields of endeavour.

Research Team

Project Leaders

Louis Normand, conseiller pédagogique, Cégep de Rosemont (lnormand@crosemont.qc.ca)

Pauline Noiseau, chercheuse, Algora Lab, Université de Montréal (pauline.noiseau@umontreal.ca)

Marc-Antoine Dilhac, professeur, département de Philosophie, Université de Montréal (marc-antoine.dilhac@umontreal.ca)

Steering Committee

Nathalie Chamlian, conseiller pédagogique, Centre de pédagogie universitaire, Université de Montréal

Marie-Hélène Roy, conseillère à la vie étudiante, Bureau CLAP, Cégep de Rosemont

Sophie Lemoyne-Dessaint, conseillère à la vie étudiante, Bureau CLAP, Collège de Rosemont

Christian Auger, professeur de philosophie, Cégep de Rosemont

Danny Bouchard, professeur de philosophie, Cégep de Rosemont

Stéphane Alarie, conseiller pédagogique, Collège de Rosemont

Video Summary

Project Deliverables

An Educational Toolkit

To guide teaching staff and equip students, the project team developed an educational kit that presents the principles of the co-construction process behind the Montreal Declaration, the fundamental principles of AI, prospective scenarios, and a facilitation guide.

No fewer than 250 copies, printed on recycled paper, were sent to all Quebec colleges (both French- and English-speaking).

The toolkit has also been posted on the EDUQ.info open archive.

Click here to download the toolkit.  A French version  is also available.

Utopia Podcast (French only)

The UtopIA podcast series explores the ethical issues raised by artificial intelligence. Over the course of six episodes, UtopIA offers reflections on the ethical challenges of AI in the fields of health, education, work, justice, the arts, and climate change. You will have the opportunity to hear the different ethical points of view of experts in the application of AI in their fields.

This podcast series was produced by Collège de Rosemont and the University of Montreal as part of the project Ethics and Artificial Intelligence in Higher Education: Towards Responsible AI Development with and Beyond the Montreal Declaration. This project was made possible thanks to financial support from the PIA.

Knowledge Transfer Activities

  • Organization of deliberation training activities for teachers at Collège de Rosemont

  • Organization of a theme week on the ethical, social, and environmental issues of AI:

  • Series of conferences with experts

  • Deliberative workshop with young people using scenarios developed in the toolkit

  • Round table, virtual café, participatory mural

  • In order to ensure the project's sustainability, the team decided to train trainers in deliberation. The trainees will thus become trainers who will be able to continue the project after its official end in December 2021.

  • Organization of four webinars to raise awareness among the UdeM and Rosemont communities about the ethical issues surrounding AI (education, mental health, environment, justice)

  • Presentation of the project at the AQPC conference (June 9 and 10, 2021)

  • Presentation of the project at the Acfas conference, Vivre une démarche délibérative sur les enjeux éthiques de l’IA au collégial et à l’université (May 2021)