Lenovo Joins Canada’s Commitment to Ethical AI Development

May 27, 2024 – Today, global technology leader Lenovo officially announced its participation in the Government of Canada’s Voluntary Code of Conduct on the Responsible Development and Management of Advanced Generative AI Systems. This commitment underscores Lenovo’s dedication to ethical AI development, aligning with eight new signatories to promote accountability, safety, fairness, equity, transparency, human oversight, and robust AI systems.

“By joining Canada’s AI Voluntary Code, Lenovo continues its strong commitment to deploying trustworthy AI solutions and supporting Canada in creating a responsible AI ecosystem,” said Doug Fisher, Lenovo’s Senior Vice President and Chief Security Officer. “With Lenovo’s long-standing strong Canadian presence, we will continue working to deepen our engagement in Canada and deliver smarter AI for all.”

The Hon. François-Philippe Champagne, Canada’s Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, highlighted the transformative potential of AI and the government’s dedication to fostering a thriving digital landscape. “Artificial intelligence is one of the greatest technological transformations of our age, and our government is committed to providing Canadians and Canadian businesses the tools, and funding, they need to thrive in this digital era. The Voluntary Code of Conduct on the Responsible Development and Management of Advanced Generative AI Systems, paired with our recent $2.4 billion package of measures from Budget 2024, allow leading Canadian organizations to adopt responsible measures that will help build safety and trust as the technology grows well into the future.”

Lenovo’s commitment to Canada’s Voluntary AI Code follows its earlier endorsement of the UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence, the first-ever global standard on AI ethics approved by 193 Member States.

This agreement builds on Lenovo’s growing investment in AI technologies, including original generative AI models, a hybrid AI approach that prioritizes privacy, security, and power for enterprises and individuals, and a pocket-to-cloud portfolio to deliver the latest AI to everyone.

Lenovo maintains a Responsible AI Committee with an internal governance framework that addresses ethical, legal, safety, and privacy concerns to ensure the safe and responsible deployment of emerging solutions. Lenovo evaluates AI solutions against the Committee’s pillars of diversity & inclusion, privacy & security, accountability & reliability, explainability, transparency, and environmental & social impact.

In addition to the UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of AI, Lenovo has supported several initiatives that bolster AI for stronger social inclusion. In 2021, Lenovo joined France-based Cercle InterElles’ Commitment to Responsible and Gender Equitable AI, along with 12 other companies in the scientific and technology industries. After a years-long partnership with the Scott-Morgan Foundation, Lenovo continues to support groundbreaking assistive technology solutions developed by the NGO, including an AI-powered avatar for people with severe disabilities. Lenovo’s global philanthropy team has also launched the ‘AI for Social Impact’ initiative to connect community non-profits with knowledge and examples to inspire their use of AI.

Lenovo’s commitment to providing smarter technology for all is further exemplified through its AI for All vision, announced at Tech World 2023 with an AI-powered solution to translate Brazilian sign language (Libras) in real-time.

For more insights into Lenovo’s inclusive technology commitments and the work of its Product Diversity Office, explore the most recent Environmental, Social, and Governance Report.

To learn more about the Canadian government’s broader AI strategy and how it plans to integrate AI responsibly in public service, read our previous article here.