Fenwick McKelvey spends a lot of time thinking about artificial intelligence, particularly about finding better ways to fulfill AI’s potential beyond the models marketed by Big Tech. As co-director of the Applied AI Institute at Concordia University and an associate professor in communication studies, he analyzes digital policies and has observed the global struggle of governments to regulate AI and manage its immense appetite for data and power. In February, he returned from a conference in Europe and was inspired by countries like Germany, Sweden, and the Netherlands, which are developing public AI services—open-source models accessible to academic institutions, researchers, companies, governments, and users alike.
I recently spoke to McKelvey about his belief that building what he dubs CanGPT—or Canadian GPT—would help define a national strategy for AI and protect our digital sovereignty.
