This research project aims, through surveys of Canadian and Japanese people and various automated textual analysis methods for analyzing the discourse of public decision-makers: 1) propose a reliable and valid measure of the social acceptability of AI and digital technologies issues, which is sensitive to the particularities of Canada and Japan but comparable between the two countries; 2) understand the key factors influencing the social acceptability of these issues, and examine the extent to which the latter is rooted in deep cultural factors; 3) identify the interventions of Canadian and Japanese public policy-makers that concern AI, and examine the extent to which the discourse of elected officials is in synergy with public opinion in each country. Over and above its theoretical and methodological contribution to a subject that is still under-explored, this project will provide reliable and representative data for policy-makers in both countries, in order to guide reflection on the responsible and socially acceptable integration of AI into our societies.
Main researcher
Yannick Dufresne
Co-researchers
Émilie Dionne
Simon Coulombe
