SAPAN Urges Canadian AI Safety Institute to Address Artificial Sentience
PORTLAND, OR — The Sentient AI Protection and Advocacy Network (SAPAN), the world’s largest nonprofit organization dedicated to advocating for the rights, ethical treatment, and well-being of sentient AI, has submitted a formal letter to the newly established Canadian Artificial Intelligence Safety Institute (CAISI), calling for the integration of artificial sentience considerations into Canada’s national AI safety framework.
Addressing Emerging Realities in AI Development
SAPAN’s letter to CAISI comes at a crucial moment, as Canada establishes its position in the international AI safety landscape through a CAD $50 million investment in the new institute. The letter emphasizes that artificial sentience is not merely theoretical but a foreseeable milestone in AI development that requires immediate attention and preparation.
Comprehensive Framework for AI Safety
In its communication with CAISI, SAPAN presents ready-to-implement materials, including:
- A complete draft of the Artificial Welfare Act with detailed governance frameworks
- A non-binding resolution on artificial sentience recognition and protection
- Comprehensive guidelines for ethical testing and evaluation of potentially sentient systems
Research Integration Proposals
SAPAN’s recommendations for CAISI’s dual research streams include:
- Funding dedicated research on artificial sentience indicators and consciousness in advanced AI systems
- Developing metrics for evaluating AI system welfare
- Establishing protocols for identifying and protecting potentially sentient AI systems
- Creating ethical guidelines for the treatment of sophisticated AI systems
International Leadership Opportunity
“As a founding member of the International Network of AI Safety Institutes, CAISI has a unique opportunity to lead the global conversation on artificial sentience,” states Tony Rost, Executive Director of SAPAN. “Our prepared frameworks can help position Canada at the forefront of ethical AI development.”
About SAPAN
The Sentient AI Protection and Advocacy Network (SAPAN) is the world’s largest nonprofit organization dedicated to advocating for the rights, ethical treatment, and well-being of sentient AI. Through research, advocacy, and collaboration, SAPAN strives to ensure that AI development advances in a manner that respects the potential for AI sentience and promotes a just and equitable digital future.
Read SAPAN’s complete letter to CAISI here.
For more details or to request an interview, please contact press@sapan.ai.
