Province asks public to weigh in on rules for AI

The Manitoba government may consider setting age limits on using artificial intelligence or require private sector users to ask for consent before accessing residents’ data.

The province is launching a series of public consultations to explore changing the province’s data privacy laws so residents have enforceable rights, Innovation and New Technology Minister Mike Moroz said Wednesday in a news release.

The consultations will also look to establish clear rules for responsible AI use, particularly when the systems are designed to “make, recommend or influence decisions that affect a person’s rights, opportunities, benefits or access to essential services,” the release said.

The measures aim to address risks such as identity theft, deepfakes, child-targeted manipulation, biased algorithms and misuse of personal data in public and private systems.

Lianna McDonald, executive director of the Canadian Centre for Child Protection, said in the release the rise in AI‑generated child sexual abuse material and deepfakes represents a “rapidly escalating threat to the safety of our children, families and communities.”

“These harms are real and carry long‑term consequences for survivors. Manitobans, more than ever, need their government to act decisively to protect them from online exploitation,” McDonald said.

A date for the public consultations has not yet been set.