Speaking notes
Dr. Mona Nemer
Chief Science Advisor of Canada
Science, Technology and Innovation for Future Society: Building Trustworthy AI through Cooperation
Science and Technology Ministers’ Roundtable
Kyoto, Japan
October 5, 2025
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Dear colleagues,
We all recognize that artificial intelligence and other advanced technologies are reshaping the way we live and work. They bring enormous opportunities for discovery and innovation, but they also raise questions about fairness, trust and security. If we are serious about maximizing the benefits, we cannot afford to treat trust in AI as an afterthought. We need oversight that is responsible, tools that are creative and frameworks that reach across borders — just like we did decades ago for biotechnology, which gave us, among other things, life-saving medicines, including covid mRNA vaccines.
That vision is guiding the work of the Canadian AI Safety Institute, which is addressing risks such as bias and misuse in collaboration with a network of sister institutes around the world. By working on both the conceptual and the practical side, they are making sure that AI-driven solutions are grounded in science, fairness and interpretability.
What matters just as much is how we link these national efforts internationally. AI systems move freely across borders and so must the frameworks that govern them. That means standards that are interoperable, evaluation methods that are transparent and trusted, and ways of sharing lessons quickly when problems arise. We also need to double down on AI research, data governance and regulatory innovation, including through shared testing environments, and science diplomacy platforms that help us build trust and align priorities.
In this regard, Canada is proud of its association with Horizon Europe and very much looks forward to furthering research collaborations with Japan and like minded countries through this wonderful program.
In closing, Canada believes that if we combine regulation with research and innovation, and if we put cooperation at the heart of our efforts, advanced technologies like AI can help us build societies that are not only more innovative but also safer, more inclusive and more sustainable.
Thank you.