How Toronto is leading the charge in responsible AI innovation

On any given weekday morning in Toronto, it’s not hard to spot the technology helping the city meet growing infrastructure and social demands. Sensors help adjust traffic flow in real time, local businesses use smart technology to predict energy demand and hospitals pilot AI systems to reduce wait times and deliver better care. As the pace of–and demand for–adoption intensifies, alongside scrutiny on the use of data and AI, Silicon Valley’s traditional “move fast and break things” approach is no longer sustainable. Instead, organizations and individuals are calling for responsible, human-centric AI to ensure this emerging technology lives up to its promise.

Responsible AI is founded on more than algorithms: it’s built with trust. Global technology company, TELUS, is on a mission to show how AI can be developed and used responsibly, and how it’s possible to build systems that are trustworthy, transparent and ethical.

What does that look like in practice? Picture a transit app that uses AI to reduce congestion, or a housing platform that predicts community needs before they arise. Each of these tools depends on public confidence, which should be earned, not assumed. “Trust in AI positions Toronto, and Canada, for success,” says Pam Snively, chief data and trust officer at TELUS. “The world’s best AI researchers and practitioners want to work on meaningful problems with ethical frameworks and Toronto’s reputation as a multicultural, vibrant city draws talent who understand that the most impactful and sustainable AI solutions are those built with human benefit at their core.”

Technology built on trust

Innovation and ethics should go hand-in-hand. “You don’t have to choose between doing the right thing and building great technology,” Snively says. “The best solutions happen when you combine cutting-edge technology with deep ethical consideration and human-centered design.”

That belief isn’t theoretical–it’s built from the company’s experience prioritizing this work among their technology teams every day. Behind the scenes, TELUS has built one of the world’s most advanced data and AI governance frameworks, grounded in their long established Trust Model. It’s been in place for more than a decade as a commitment to use data in ways that create value, while respecting privacy and protecting communities. It’s what informed the development of their enterprise AI platform, Fuel iX™, which gives organizations a safe way to deploy generative AI across their operations. It also helped shape the creation of an AI copilot tool for team members that helps employees save time on routine tasks, saving about forty minutes from each interaction. The Fuel iX™ suite of products includes capabilities that test for weaknesses and risks in AI systems, giving companies a way to innovate while staying transparent and secure.

“What we’re hearing from our customers is that they want to invest in AI-driven innovation that will grow with their business and deliver measurable results,” says Jodi Baxter, Vice-President of 5G & Industry Solutions at TELUS. “And sustainable adoption depends on trust. Responsible AI practices allow our customers to integrate these solutions confidently, knowing they’re built with transparency, safety and human-centered design from the ground up.”

The championing of responsible data practices extends to partnerships beyond TELUS’ own walls. TELUS and Vector Institute, a world-leading Toronto-based AI research hub, have partnered to pilot a system that can reduce energy use in commercial spaces. They’ve also co-created SegMate, a free tool that can be used to track environmental changes such as  deforestation and climate damage in real time.

“Toronto is a world leader in developing AI solutions that are both cutting-edge and deeply human-centered. But strong industry leadership is essential to translating AI research into real-world impact that benefits society,” says Glenda Crisp, President & CEO, Vector Institute. “When organizations commit to responsible AI practices from the ground up, they don’t just advance innovation, they build the trust and ethical foundation that allows breakthrough technologies to benefit society.”

A future built for everyone

Taking a principled approach serves organizations well: a survey by TELUS found that 86 per cent of people are more likely to buy from organizations that they trust to handle data responsibly. To help maintain that trust, a critical component to the technology’s adoption is to listen and seek to understand the hopes and fears of those the technology will serve. The tech company conducts regular consultations with a wide variety of people to better understand unique perspectives on AI. Taking feedback seriously, it works to highlight unique perspectives across demographics, ensuring important viewpoints aren’t lost in aggregation. Beyond survey data, it hosts focus groups with different audiences, such as youth and Indigenous Peoples, and runs workshops at events including the SXSW Festival in Austin, Texas, and at the United Nations AI for Good Summit in Geneva, Switzerland, to educate Canadian and global audiences.

“The organizations that will lead tomorrow are the ones getting AI right today - both in how they build it and why they build it,” Snively says. “Ultimately, what we need to agree on within and throughout the tech ecosystem is that the responsible use of data and technology matters: it builds better relationships with customers and communities, it protects brands and reputations, it can help avoid costly penalties, and it will set organizations up for future success.”

In a city where technology touches nearly every aspect of daily life, TELUS is helping set the tone for what comes next: a digital ecosystem built on trust, transparency and tangible good.

To learn more about responsible AI, click here.