Two Canadian scholars from Oshawa, Ontario, and Lethbridge, Alberta, have launched the country’s first coordinated national forum dedicated to the philosophy of artificial intelligence.
The newly formed Canadian Association for the Philosophy of Artificial Intelligence (CAPAI) was created to fill what organizers describe as a long-standing gap in Canada’s AI research landscape. While Canada has strong communities focused on the technical and policy dimensions of AI, there had been no formal space bringing together philosophers examining the deeper conceptual, ethical, and social questions raised by the technology.
CAPAI was co-founded by Dr. Martina Orlandi, an assistant professor in the new AI degree programs at Trent University Durham in Oshawa, and Dr. Nicholas Dunn, an assistant professor of philosophy at the University of Lethbridge.
“Networking and collaboration that once happened in isolation can now take place in a more organized, systematic, and efficient way,” Orlandi said, noting that the forum provides philosophers of AI with a dedicated platform to connect and collaborate.
The association brings together scholars studying foundational issues such as the nature of intelligence, cognition, and decision-making, as well as urgent ethical and societal concerns including AI’s impact on labour, healthcare, bias, surveillance, and democracy.
Dunn emphasized the growing urgency of philosophical reflection as AI adoption accelerates. “AI is moving faster than institutions and policies can keep up,” he said, adding that philosophers play a critical role in articulating the values that should guide how these technologies are designed and deployed.
Beyond efficiency and automation, both scholars argue that AI raises profound questions about human identity, well-being, and social relationships. Orlandi noted increasing interest in how AI is being used in personal and social contexts, including AI chatbots acting as therapists or companions.
“As AI systems begin to replace or reshape key aspects of our lives, we’re forced to ask whether a life made easier by technology is necessarily a more fulfilling one,” she said.
Since launching earlier this fall, CAPAI has grown to 14 members and has introduced an online speaker series and a national website, with plans for in-person meetings and public engagement initiatives. The association also aims to make Canadian research in the philosophy of AI more accessible to students, policymakers, and the general public, ensuring philosophical insight becomes a core part of the national AI conversation.
Trent University Durham’s interdisciplinary approach, combined with its recently launched Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science programs in Artificial Intelligence, has made it a natural home for the initiative. The programs reflect the university’s belief that AI should be examined not only through technical and scientific lenses, but also within the humanities.
In the classroom, this approach translates into real-world ethical discussions, from the use of AI in healthcare decision-making to emerging issues such as deepfakes and the broader social value of AI technologies.
Photo Credits : Insauga
