CGI’s commitment to using AI for good
From revolutionizing industries to advancing societal well-being, AI is reshaping the way we live, work, and interact. However, harnessing AI’s enormous potential comes with significant responsibility. At CGI, we recognize that the ethical and responsible application of AI is not just a necessity—it’s a business imperative.
This year, CGI published our inaugural Responsible AI (RAI) report as part of our annual ESG report. Our RAI report underscores the vital role responsible AI plays in achieving trusted and sustainable outcomes. It also reflects CGI’s dedication to embedding robust, trustworthy and ethical principles into every aspect of our AI initiatives, including using AI for good.
The science behind RAI
AI and machine learning technologies have evolved over the last 70 years with varied models and objectives. However, the foundations of AI explorations remain largely consistent. The combination of greater accessibility, extended AI capabilities, extra-large diverse datasets, and the scalable computing power of cloud infrastructure has led to greater AI interest and adoption. Privacy and security concerns around publicly accessible GenAI tools result from limited transparency into how the models have been trained and how the content provided through interactions is used, stored and retrieved to provide reliable and trustworthy outputs.
GenAI also risks “hallucinations,” or situations in which model output from AI-driven responses may stray off topic and introduce potential inaccuracies that are not always evident to users.
While the vast knowledge available in GenAI makes these solutions compelling, using public GenAI models for business purposes creates risks of unreliability and exposes proprietary information to the public model’s data sources through user inputs.
AI governance and regulatory initiatives
We actively engage with global policymakers, academia and industry leaders to establish and shape the future of ethical AI standards. For example, CGI:
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CGI’s RAI value framework
CGI’s RAI approach for developing data-driven decisions and accelerating business outcomes encompasses our proprietary RAI Framework in concert with our Responsible Use of Data and Responsible Use of Cloud Technology, frameworks, our pragmatic AI risk matrix tool, clear and enforceable guidelines and best practices, and ethical principles backed by the principles of research ethics and scientific research.
We are committed to fostering innovation within responsible use guardrails — a pledge building on our work in AI and ML prior to the introduction of GenAI, and continuously reviewed and refined as needed as technologies advance.
Read more to learn about our RAI value framework in the RAI Report.
Environmental impact
Committed to building a more sustainable and inclusive world, CGI believes we can achieve both environmental responsibility and technology innovation in tandem.
Innovations that produce more efficient algorithms will help mitigate increased demand for energy associated with processing larger scales of information — enabling continued innovation without overly straining infrastructure.
CGI has invested in expertise to help clients improve the efficiency of their own AI systems and solutions, and realize the related benefits of reduced costs and energy consumption. For instance:
- Reducing carbon footprints: CGI DataTwin360 simulates and optimizes energy use across an organization’s operations, providing real-time data and carbon accounting.
- Supporting the energy transition: CGI OpenGrid DERMS (Distributed Energy Resource Management System) allows energy operators to integrate and optimize a variety of renewable energy sources, such as wind, solar and energy storage systems.
CGI also employs AI in environmental monitoring and risk assessment by using all available data and applying the scale and power of AI to model complex scenarios. For instance:
- Mitigating natural disaster impacts: CGI EnvironmentMonitor360 uses satellite data and AI to help assess and predict the impact of natural events like hurricanes, floods and wildfires.
- Tracking ecosystem changes: CGI’s Earth observation (EO) offering uses satellite imagery to collect data on physical, chemical and biological systems worldwide.
Read more Environmental impact of AI examples in the RAI Report.
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Social impact
AI holds immense potential for fostering social impact and promoting well-being on a global scale, as well as addressing the unique challenges of our communities. One of the most significant benefits of AI is its role in advancing social equity. AI systems can be designed to ensure fair and unbiased decision-making, providing equitable access to benefits and social support. By integrating datasets, AI can predict and mitigate events early in addiction or crisis cycles, preventing trauma and providing effective intervention before any incident occurs. Predictive analytics can help law enforcement agencies prevent crimes and protect vulnerable populations within the communities in which we live and work. Additionally, AI contributes to mental healthcare and treatment by identifying early risks and offering timely interventions, improving access to services.
The following examples illustrate how we help clients use AI to accelerate positive outcomes for communities where we operate:
Read more Social impact of AI examples in the RAI Report.
Governance and best practices
According to CGI’s 2024 Voice of Our Clients research, reflecting in-depth interviews with over 1,800 businesses and IT executives across the industries and geographies we serve, AI governance and ethics are the principles applied most to ensure RAI.
CGI’s best practice AI governance model offering emphasizes responsibility, standardization, and change management, ensuring AI systems align with human values and benefit society sustainably. Recognizing that AI is a business-critical capability our governance model provides a structure for implementing AI initiatives, accessible to all our consultants and professionals as part of the CGI Management Foundation and management framework for fostering innovation.
CGI uses the power of our proximity model (where we embed operations within our clients’ metro markets) to develop a federated approach to AI governance. A centralized Global AI Enablement CoE ensures consistency in the deployment of AI platforms, services and solution delivery. This team both supports and is supported by a network of proximity-based AI experts across the company.
We extend our robust AI governance model as a comprehensive offering to our clients, enabling them to harness the transformative power of AI responsibly and effectively. For example, CGI supported:
- A Canadian health organization in establishing safeguards by developing scenarios in which AI and research may expose privacy and security risks.
- An international transportation organization in developing an end-to-end approach to AI governance, risk management and AI use case identification.
Our commitment
CGI’s commitment to RAI is evident in our comprehensive and structured approach, which fosters innovation while applying the guardrails underlying our RAI Framework and collaborative AI governance.
Our commitment to using AI for good remains steadfast, as we strive to create solutions that positively impact society, address environmental concerns, and uphold ethical standards, ultimately fostering trust and delivering transformative outcomes.
Read CGI’s Responsible AI report
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