Principles for responsible, trustworthy and privacy-protective generative AI technologies
This document outlines privacy principles and considerations for responsible, trustworthy, and privacy-protective generative AI technologies. Issued by the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada and provincial counterparts, it guides developers, providers, and organizations using generative AI on complying with Canadian privacy laws. It covers key areas including legal authority and consent, appropriate purposes, necessity and proportionality, openness, accountability, individual access, limiting collection, accuracy, and safeguards.
Summary and content fields are drawn from the document text and are pending editorial review.
Who issued it
Who it governs
Organizations developing, providing, or using generative AI technologies in Canada to help them apply key privacy principles and comply with privacy laws.
What the document contains
The document addresses how Canadian privacy legislation and core privacy principles apply to the development, provision, and deployment of generative AI systems. It details specific responsibilities for AI developers, providers, and users regarding personal information, consent, transparency, accuracy, and risk mitigation.
The document does not provide binding adjudications for specific investigations, nor does it establish comprehensive non-privacy regulations outside the scope of Canadian data protection frameworks.
- Generative AI technologies must comply with existing Canadian privacy laws and regulations.
- Organizations must establish clear legal authority and obtain valid, meaningful consent when collecting personal information for AI training and use.
- Developers and users must avoid prohibited 'no-go zones' such as malicious content generation or discriminatory profiling.
- Accountability for decisions made or supported by AI rests with the deploying organization rather than the automated system.
- Safeguards such as adversarial testing, transparency, and data minimization must be implemented throughout the AI lifecycle.
· About this document · Intended Audience for this Document · Special consideration: The unique impact on vulnerable groups · Principles for the Development, Provision, and Use of Generative AI systems 1. Legal Authority and Consent 2. Appropriate Purposes 3. Necessity and proportionality 4. Openness 5. Accountability 6. Individual Access 7. Limiting Collection, Use, and Disclosure 8. Accuracy 9. Safeguards
How it scores
Each score is backed by a quote verified against the document text. Editorial review has not yet confirmed them.
Accountability
5/5Clear responsibility for AI outcomes
Establish accountability for compliance with privacy legislation and principles and make AI tools explainable.
5. Accountability
screening score · 2026-10-23
Fairness
4/5Non-discrimination and equitable treatment
Developers, providers, and organizations using generative AI systems must all actively work to ensure the fairness of these systems.
Special consideration: The unique impact on vulnerable groups
screening score · 2026-10-23
Human Dignity
4/5Respect for the inherent worth of persons
Organizations should also recognize that to build and maintain a digital society in which innovation is socially-beneficial and human dignity is protected, AI development and use have to be responsible and trustworthy.
Introduction
screening score · 2026-10-23
Human Oversight
4/5Humans remain in control of consequential decisions
This includes maintaining and providing on request sufficient information for that person to be able to understand how a decision was reached, and allowing them the opportunity to request human review and/or re-consideration of the decision.
5. Accountability
screening score · 2026-10-23
Privacy
5/5Protection of personal data and private life
In this document, we identify considerations for the application of key privacy principles to generative AI technologies.
About this document
screening score · 2026-10-23
Transparency
4/5Openness about how AI systems work and are used
Be open and transparent about the collection, use and disclosure of personal information and the potential risks to individuals’ privacy.
4. Openness
screening score · 2026-10-23
Enforcement
1/5Consequences and compliance mechanisms with real force
Canada’s federal, provincial, and territorial privacy commissioners will continue to explore this complex topic and may provide guidance or other resources as we learn more about the technology and its potential risks, including as formal investigations related to the technology are completed.
About this document
screening score · 2026-10-23