Over the next six months, 100 young Canadians aged 17 to 23 will deliberate on the societal and policy impacts of artificial intelligence. Their work will help shape Canada’s national approach to AI and ensure that youth perspectives are “not an afterthought, but a guide for the future of AI in Canada”.

👉 Learn more about the initiative here.

Combining mini and maxi publics for democratic innovation

After Forum Gegen Fakes in 2024, this marks the second time Make.org has deployed its civic tech platform to support a citizens’ assembly process - and this latest approach takes another step forward.

For the first time, Gen(Z)AI will not only open the assemblies’ drafted recommendations to citizens nationwide but also invite experts to contribute their insights and feedback. By combining these two perspectives — youth and expert — the process will enrich each recommendation, ensuring that final outcomes are grounded in both public values and technical expertise.

Make.org’s role: gathering and analysing feedback on the initial drafted recommendations

Make.org’s platform will gather feedback from young Canadians and AI experts on the recommendations drafted by four in-person assemblies, also called “Youth Forums.” This feedback will then be analysed by Make.org’s team of sociologists and data scientists.

This process will allow the proposals to be:

• Voted on by participants to gauge support
• Prioritised based on collective input
• Refined and strengthened through open contributions from youth and experts

By the final plenary in April 2025, these enriched recommendations will reflect a unique collaboration between deliberation and consultation, ensuring that decision-makers hear a highly legitimate youth voice on AI.

Through Gen(Z)AI, Canada is pioneering a model of civic participation enhanced by technology, where democratic dialogue and AI innovation go hand in hand.

The Gen(Z)AI project is funded by The Waltons Trust, CIFAR, and Mila.

Click here to learn more about the process.