That's a very good question. It's a big one.
Many AI-related risks are not necessarily linked to the telecommunications network. Since I am here representing the Canadian Telecommunications Workers Alliance, I will stick to talking about these risks.
As you said, jobs may be lost. The number of jobs at telecommunications companies is declining rapidly. Over the past 10 to 15 years, between 15,000 and 20,000 jobs have been lost.
There are also may other risks relating to the personal information we transmit through telecommunications networks. The generative AI systems currently in use are mainly housed south of the border. When we use them, our data is transmitted through telecommunications networks that are not Canadian. When data is not on our networks, it is not on our territory, so it is subject to the laws of the other jurisdictions. Currently, 25% of Internet traffic goes through the U.S., so any data we send through the U.S. is protected by American laws, which don't protect people as well as Canadian laws.
As far as I know, there hasn't been broad consultation about AI, and if we don't listen to what workers and the public have to say, we run the risk of overlooking issued relating to personal data and discrimination because we know that AI systems are prone to bias.
Here's another risk: If AI systems aren't designed and trained here, with our data, we may receive responses from them that aren't suited to our reality. CUPE's criticism is valid because the government seems to be focusing solely on a commercial strategy to deal with AI, not on a strategy to ensure the well-being of the population.