Canada proposes measures to identify AI-generated content

Canada is advancing legislative efforts to increase transparency regarding content generated or modified by artificial intelligence. While no law currently mandates that all commercial AI companies include digital watermarks, several parliamentary initiatives are seeking to establish frameworks for identifying synthetic media.

Key developments include a report from the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage, which recommended standardized mechanisms such as metadata and digital watermarking to identify AI content. Additionally, the government has introduced Bill C-34, the Safe Social Media Act, which proposes requiring regulated social platforms to label synthetic content that could be mistaken for authentic recordings. Furthermore, Bill C-277 has been introduced to establish specific obligations for identifying and controlling deepfakes.

The country is currently in a stage of legislative debate and regulatory construction rather than enforcing a general obligation for all commercially generated AI content.