Algorithmic Bias in Canada Internship with TELUS

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is increasingly used in Canada to help make decisions and to deliver public services, but research shows that AI systems can unintentionally reinforce social inequalities, leading to unfair or discriminatory outcomes for minority groups. Biases can appear when AI systems are trained on incomplete or skewed datasets, when development teams lack diverse perspectives, or when AI tools attempt to predict sensitive personal characteristics, for example. This project will help identify where such biases appear and how they many negatively affect minority groups. Student interns will work with TELUS, one of Canada’s leading telecommunications company, assisting TELUS’ Data and Trust Office in their work towards ensuring that the company uses data and AI responsibly. Interns will assist with researching the risks of algorithmic bias, supporting the company’s annual Responsible AI report, and helping translate academic knowledge into practice tools and recommendations for industry. The goal is to better understand how AI systems may lead to unfair outcomes and to support the development of safeguards that can make these technologies more trustworthy. This work strengthens TELUS’ responsible AI efforts while also providing students valuable practical experience applying their scholarly knowledge to industry challenges.

Faculty Supervisor:

Karina Vold

Student:

Partner:

TELUS

Discipline:

Sociology

Sector:

Information and cultural industries

University:

University of Toronto

Program: