Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and French President Emmanuel Macron have made a commitment to engage experts across all areas of research to better understand how to develop artificial intelligence technologies that benefit all.

The new collaboration was announced by Trudeau and Macron on June 7, 2018, just ahead of the turbulent G7 Summit which took place in Charlevoix, Quebec. The basis of the collaboration will be an independent expert group, who will invite specialists from both governments, together with internationally recognized scientists and representatives from industry. Interested members of social groups will also have an opportunity to take part.

The new group will set out to identify the key challenges and opportunities that artificial intelligence promises, especially orientated towards developing social and economic benefits. The group will also outline some best practices, which will be designed to ensure that artificial intelligence fulfills this potential.

The decision to develop artificial intelligence for the benefit of all people worldwide has been applauded by CIFAR, which is a Canadian-based, global organization with nearly 400 fellows, scholars and advisors from 17 countries. The Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (CIFAR) has highlighted the emphasis upon ensuring that artificial intelligence is ethical and that human needs should be at the forefront of future developments, at the heart of the French-Canadian agreement.

In a statement, Alan Bernstein, president and CEO of CIFAR said: "AI has the potential to change almost everything about how we work and live. We enthusiastically endorse the creation of an international study group charged with understanding emerging AI technologies and how to ensure they are beneficial. We look forward to working with our partners in Canada and internationally to support this commitment."

CIFAR, which is based in Toronto, manages the $125 million federal Pan-Canadian Artificial Intelligence Strategy. With the announcement, Elissa Strome, who is the executive director of the Pan-Canadian Artificial Intelligence Strategy, noted how it "builds on Canada's longstanding leadership in AI research and innovation and the vibrant social science and policy community in Canada."

She adds: "We look forward to working with our partners at the three AI institutes in Edmonton, Toronto and Montreal and researchers across the country to support today's declaration."

In related news, Google has recently released a set of ethical principles about how it will use artificial intelligence technology. This includes seven principles intended to make sure that artificial intelligence is applied to applications that are socially beneficial, safe and won't create unfair bias.

This article originally appeared in Digital Journal.