Source: La Ronge Now

La Ronge Now reports that Canada’s National Security and Intelligence Review Agency (NSIRA) has launched a formal review into the use of artificial intelligence by the country's security and intelligence agencies as of January 1, 2026. This investigation aims to determine whether the adoption of AI-driven surveillance and data analysis tools complies with Canadian law and fundamental human rights. The watchdog is particularly focused on how agencies like CSIS and the CSE utilize algorithms to identify potential threats and whether these processes involve sufficient human oversight to prevent bias or wrongful targeting.

The review comes amid growing public concern over the "black box" nature of intelligence technologies and the potential for mass data collection without adequate legal warrants. NSIRA has emphasized that while AI can enhance national security capabilities, it must not be used to bypass constitutional protections against unreasonable search and seizure. The findings of this review, which will be submitted to Parliament, are expected to lead to new oversight mechanisms and possibly stricter legislative limits on the use of advanced algorithms in the realm of national security.