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

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 [email protected] Or @thebigstory.bsky.social on Bluesky

Plus: New polling on independence movements in Alberta and Quebec, how the violence in Mexico is reshaping Canadian tourists' plans, a Canadian man faces harsh conditions in US immigration detention, and how former Prince Andrew's arrest could either make or break the monarchy. We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us: Through email at [email protected]  Or @thebigstory.bsky.social on Bluesky

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor spent less than 12 hours in the Aylsham Police Station last week on his 66th birthday, and as the spectacle continues to sizzle, tensions surrounding the Royal Family have done anything but. Host Caryn Ceolin speaks to Jeffrey Dvorkin, journalist and professor, to discuss pathways the Monarch can take to not let the arrest forever stain its image, and the potential for this arrest to lead to more serious charges being brought forth on his alleged sexual misconduct. We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:Through email at [email protected] Or @thebigstory.bsky.social on Bluesky

Plus: Child poverty is on the rise in Canada, the Clintons testify in front of U.S. lawmakers, indirect negotiations between Iran and the U.S., and the deadly impacts of Canada's lack of race-based health data. We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us: Through email at [email protected]  Or @thebigstory.bsky.social on Bluesky

Black women are 3-4x more likely to die during or as a result of childbirth in the United Sates and the UK, and although Canadians could assume similar statistics for Black women in our country, the better question is - why don't we have our own database? The reality is that Black women face systemic barriers to healthcare everyday, and the lack of data only further silences this quiet crisis. Host Tammie Sutherland speaks to Kearie Daniel, Executive Director and Founder of the Black Women's Institute for Health to discuss how the Canadian government can better support Black mothers by being honest about its own lack of data on race-based health experiences and outcomes. We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:Through email at [email protected] Or @thebigstory.bsky.social on Bluesky

Plus: The federal government is pledging support for food aid for Cuba admist a humanitarian crisis, Canadian travellers return from Mexico after two days of violence, health care advocates are in Ottawa, the latest on the search for Nancy Guthrie, and how close is Canada to a Carney majority? We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us: Through email at [email protected]  Or @thebigstory.bsky.social on Bluesky

Prime Minister Mark Carney got a third floor crosser from the Conservatives, putting the Liberal seat count at 169 out of the 172 needed for a majority government-- exactly where it was on election day. But here's the kicker-- three byelections need to be called in seats the Liberals won just one year ago. Meaning Carney is on the verge of securing Canada's first majority in a decade. And just a month after Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre received a 87% approval rating from his party, what sorts of conversations does his caucus need to have with one less member? Host Maria Kestane speaks to Mickey Djuric, a journalist who covers Parliament Hill for POLITICO, to discuss what Mark Carney might do with a majority, and the potential for future floor crossers - and a federal election. We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:Through email at [email protected] Or @thebigstory.bsky.social on Bluesky

Plus: Ukraine marks four years since Russia's invasion, U.S. President Donald Trump's State of the Union address, and the U.S. Men's Hockey team is under fire. We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us: Through email at [email protected]  Or @thebigstory.bsky.social on Bluesky

More than 26,000 Canadians remain stranded in Mexico, as the country grapples with cartel-related violence in the aftermath of El Mencho's death. The cartel leader, formally known as Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, was killed in a military-led operation on Sunday morning in Jalisco, Mexico, some 90 kilometres south of Guadalajara, and west of the popular resort town of Puerto Vallarta. He was known to be the head of one of the most violent criminal gangs in Mexico, the Jalisco New Generation Cartel. Host Maria Kestane speaks to Jerry Flores, sociology professor at the University of Toronto, to break down how Mexico has gotten to this point, what residents could see in the weeks to come, and how the country's government should move forward to break the pattern of gang-related violence paralyzing the country. We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:Through email at [email protected] Or @thebigstory.bsky.social on Bluesky

Plus: Tax-filing season begins, a new trip for the Prime Minister, Winter Games wrap-up, winners from the BAFTA awards, and how Canadian businesses are impacted by the U.S. tariff ruling. We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us: Through email at [email protected]  Or @thebigstory.bsky.social on Bluesky