DSO advocates for disability representation and inclusion in the first-ever National Summit on Artificial Intelligence and Culture
Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming the way we create and experience culture, and it is already reshaping how the screen industry operates. As these changes unfold, an important question emerges: is accessibility part of the conversation? How are disabled creatives being considered in the development of not only technology, but also the policies that guide it?
To explore these questions and share the DSO’s perspective, from March 15 to 17 our Executive Director Winnie Luk attended the first-ever National Summit on Artificial Intelligence and Culture, presented in partnership with the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity. The event brought together approximately 300 leaders from across cultural, government, technology, academic, and civil society sectors to shape a shared vision for the future of culture in the age of artificial intelligence.
For the DSO, the summit offered an opportunity to emphasize the need for accessibility, disability representation, and intersectional thinking as this technology continues to evolve. In her meetings, Winnie stressed the importance of including equity-deserving communities, particularly the disability community, in AI design and use, and of being proactive and timely in policy development. She also discussed the importance of inclusive and equitable AI standards.
Build: Building AI-powered tools that respond to the needs of creators and cultural industries.
Empower: Empowering the Cultural Sector through AI Adoption, Talent, and Training.
The Empower panel brought together Chris Lorway (Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity), Natasha Ita MacDonald (Heritage Lab), Lesley Klassen (New Media Manitoba), Avery Swartz (Camp Tech), Owais Lightwala (Toronto Metropolitan University), and Samuel Bischoff (Directors Guild of Canada).
Natasha noted that many cultural workers describe their experiences with AI as a form of colonization. In many cases, their work has been used to train algorithms without their consent, only for those systems to later compete with them, while those affected are never brought into the conversation or given a say. She stressed the urgent need to decolonize AI.
Protect: Protecting creativity by taking steps to make artificial intelligence solutions responsible, reliable, and supportive of human creation.
Michelle Yeung (Mass Culture), Sean Power (Musical AI), Justine Gauthier (LawZero), Sven Buridans (Fédération culturelle canadienne-française), Stéphanie Hénault (National Association of Book Publishers), and Paul Gagnon (BCF Business Law) brought diverse perspectives from the music, publishing, and Francophone minority communities sectors to the conversation, focusing on how to protect creatives in a rapidly evolving AI landscape.
Building on these discussions, the Government of Canada will establish an AI and Culture Advisory Council, a joint initiative by Ministers Marc Miller and Evan Solomon. The Council will help the government and the creative sector navigate the changes being driven by artificial intelligence, as well as provide ongoing advice and insight to support both the protection of Canada’s cultural industries and opportunities for growth and innovation.
In addition to the summit, Winnie joined a tour of the National accessArts Centre (NaAC) alongside Minister Marc Miller. Canada’s oldest and largest disability arts organization, the NaAC supports hundreds of artists with developmental, physical, and acquired disabilities. Thank you to JS Ryu and the NaAC team for hosting this lovely tour!
The DSO is optimistic about the opportunities AI presents, but we remain vigilant in making sure accessibility and creatives’ rights stay front and centre. We will continue to advocate for inclusive approaches and work toward a future where disabled creatives are actively included in shaping this technology.
