Ottawa funds Universite de Montreal AI project to combat misinformation online

Minister of Canadian Heritage Pascale St-Onge speaks at the Canada Day celebrations at LeBreton Flats in Ottawa, Monday, July 1, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Spencer Colby

Canadian Heritage Minister Pascale St-Onge was at the Université de Montréal on Monday to announce financial support for an artificial intelligence (AI) project designed to combat disinformation.

The university will receive $292,675 for its research project entitled "Une stratégie d'intelligence artificielle pour lutter contre la désinformation" (An artificial intelligence strategy to combat disinformation).

The project, a partnership between the Université de Montréal and McGill University, aims to develop a website capable of detecting and countering misinformation.

"Disinformation and then misinformation are major factors that threaten to tear apart the fabric of society. A number of players are currently fighting this scourge, which is why it is essential to invest in the development of tools capable of targeting it," said St-Onge in a press release, adding that "we are convinced that we can be pioneers in the development of AI and that we can do so responsibly."

The funding comes from the Digital Citizen Contribution Program, which provides more than $9 million for 27 projects.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on July 29, 2024.