The unlimited potential of artificial intelligence—and the responsibility it demands

Meet Olesia Kazantseva, one of the forward-thinking leaders behind Canada’s efforts to responsibly integrate artificial intelligence into public services. Based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Olesia has been with Shared Services Canada (SSC) since 2013, where her passion for cyber security and IT has evolved into advancing AI technologies that improve the everyday lives of Canadians.

Olesia and the Data Science and Artificial Intelligence team have played a pivotal role in advancing AI at SSC through the Artificial Intelligence Program and the Artificial Intelligence Centre of Excellence. These units are SSC’s central authority for information on AI, with a mandate to support and guide both the department and the Government of Canada (GC).

“We’ve been establishing our presence as a GC leader in AI,” Olesia states. “We’ve been incredibly successful in expanding our network, partnering with departments on some really interesting AI use cases and leading various working groups on AI, including intelligent automation and robotic process automation. We are now considered one of the thought leaders in this domain for the GC.”

One example of an AI use case is using intelligent automation to analyze large volumes of data to streamline decision-making, something SSC recently did when the Department of Finance received a large influx of submissions from Canadians. Olesia’s work highlights SSC’s leadership in driving AI adoption across government—ensuring every innovation delivers value for Canadians.

SSC is committed to ensuring the ethical and responsible use of artificial intelligence in government. For example, every AI system is evaluated using tools like the Algorithmic Impact Assessment tool to ensure it complies with privacy laws, minimizes bias and represents Canadian values of fairness and inclusivity. “AI is fast-moving and will continue to accelerate,” Olesia observes. “It has unlimited potential and capability. The key is our ability to harness that power thoughtfully, ensuring that everything we incubate and implement delivers value and avoids harm.”

From streamlining critical thought processes to ensuring services are delivered equitably and efficiently across the country, AI has opened the doors to a future where government programs can meet the evolving needs of every Canadian. SSC is the digital backbone of the GC.

“What gets me up in the morning is the opportunity to use AI to transform the services we deliver,” she says. “It’s about becoming a thought leader, establishing our leadership within the GC, and exploring new ways to collaborate with other departments to create value through AI.”

SSC is the digital backbone of the GC. Our employees work diligently behind the scenes to ensure the GC is powered to deliver when Canadians need it most. Olesia’s story is one example among many. Meet the people of SSC and learn more about how SSC’s service delivery teams come through for Canadians as part of Delivering Digital Solutions Together for Canada.