DiscoverThe Big StorySafeguards vs. innovation: Ottawa's delicate dance with generative AI
Safeguards vs. innovation: Ottawa's delicate dance with generative AI

Safeguards vs. innovation: Ottawa's delicate dance with generative AI

Update: 2026-03-02
Share

Description

Sam Altman's OpenAI was reportedly aware of potential danger from the Tumbler Ridge mass shooter, yet the company's privacy thresholds prohibited employees from alerting law enforcement of the disturbing content. Instead, nine people were killed.


In the aftermath of the update, federal AI and innovations minister, Evan Solomon called out the powerhouse behind ChatGPT, saying their failure to act was a failure in and of itself. Solomon is set to meet with Altman this week to discuss the incident further.


Host Caryn Ceolin speaks with Ebrahim Bagheri, a professor at the University of Toronto who founded and directed the NSERC CREATE initiative on responsible AI. They discuss what AI companies do when they find troublesome behaviours, the need to respect privacy, and what the government might be able to do to make sure a tragedy like this never happens again.


We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:

Through email at hello@thebigstorypodcast.ca 

Or @thebigstory.bsky.social on Bluesky

Comments 
In Channel
loading
00:00
00:00
x

0.5x

0.8x

1.0x

1.25x

1.5x

2.0x

3.0x

Sleep Timer

Off

End of Episode

5 Minutes

10 Minutes

15 Minutes

30 Minutes

45 Minutes

60 Minutes

120 Minutes

Safeguards vs. innovation: Ottawa's delicate dance with generative AI

Safeguards vs. innovation: Ottawa's delicate dance with generative AI

Caryn Ceolin, Ebrahim Bagheri