With the rise of artificial intelligence, the historic friendship between France and Canada is gaining new momentum around the theme of innovation but it is vital that the enthusiasm for technological progress does not overshadow their shared commitment to protecting and promoting the diversity of cultural expressions.

This commitment lies at the heart of a long-standing connection between our countries, which notably led to the creation of UNESCO’s 2005 Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions. Canada was the first to ratify this international convention, with France following shortly after. Today, it has been ratified by over 155 Parties, recognizing the dual nature—both economic and cultural—of cultural goods and services.

In both Canada and France, this convention has recently been leveraged to enact laws regulating the activities of major streaming multinationals, ensuring their contribution to the financing and promotion of local cultural productions.

In the era of generative artificial intelligence, this convention proves more relevant than ever.

For the Canadian and French Coalitions for the Diversity of Cultural Expressions, collectively representing hundreds of thousands of artists and cultural enterprises, this renewed France–Canada alliance centered on innovation serves as a reminder to remain vigilant.

Over the past year, both countries have seen the cultural sector mobilize vigorously to ensure that national ambitions for innovation do not come at the expense of protecting creators and rights holders. The Coalitions firmly believe that innovation and creativity must work together to thrive for the benefit of all.

In France, the adoption of the European AI Law last April marked significant progress, particularly in terms of transparency, while in Canada, legislative efforts remain ongoing. During last fall’s federal consultations on the impact of generative AI on Canada’s Copyright Act, AI developers sought an exception to use the works and productions of Canadian artists and cultural enterprises for system training without consent or compensation. The Canadian Coalition firmly opposed this demand.

Last winter, after two years of consultations on Bill C-27 concerning Artificial Intelligence and Data, during which the cultural sector’s concerns were largely ignored, the Canadian Coalition and some of its members were finally able to submit amendment requests. The organization is now calling on Minister François-Philippe Champagne to resume the review of this crucial bill and introduce amendments, including a requirement for AI developers to publish detailed records of the works and productions used to train their systems.

On September 12, the Canadian cultural sector will participate in ALL IN for the second time, driven by the commitment of the Coalition for the Diversity of Cultural Expressions and the support of Quebec’s Ministry of Culture and Communications. This major event, organized by Scale AI in collaboration with MILA and CEIMIA, presents an opportunity to highlight the potential of AI for cultural ecosystems, both locally and globally, while also acknowledging its significant risks and presenting concrete solutions to mitigate them. It should also be a moment to remind everyone that France and Canada have long been recognized for their ability to innovate while celebrating human artistry and valuing the contributions of creators.

• Hélène Messier, Co-Chair of the Canadian Coalition for the Diversity of Cultural Expressions
• Bill Skolnik, Co-Chair of the Canadian Coalition for the Diversity of Cultural Expressions
• Pascal Rogard, Chair of the French Coalition for Cultural Diversity