May 27, 2024 – Today, global technology leader Lenovo officially announced that it would join the Government of Canada’s Voluntary Code of Conduct on the Responsible Development and Management of Advanced Generative AI Systems as part of a strong commitment to develop ethical AI. Lenovo joins eight new signatories in the commitment, which asks companies to commit to achieve accountability, safety, fairness and equity, transparency, human oversight and monitoring, and validity and robustness.
“By joining Canada’s AI Voluntary Code, Lenovo continues its strong commitment to deploying trustworthy AI solutions and to support 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, said, “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 committed to Canada’s Voluntary AI Code following its earlier commitment to the UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence, which is 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 has a Responsible AI Committee with an internal governance framework that covers ethical, legal, safety, and privacy related 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 will continue its work to provide smarter technology for all 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.
Learn more about Lenovo’s inclusive technology commitments and Product Diversity Office in the most recent Environmental, Social and Governance Report.
