The now-former director of data and digital for the Government of Canada, Ashley Casovan, has left her post with the government to join non-profit AI Global.
Casovan is joining as the executive director of the non-profit. AI Global was founded in 2017 by the University of Texas, USAA, and CognitiveScale, with the goal of accelerating the practical and responsible design, development, and use of artificial intelligence.
“We are aiming to make it easier to balance innovation and protection of the public.”
– Ashley Casovan
As the director of data and digital for the federal government Casovan led the development of the first national government AI policy. She spent more than six years with the government, serving as the lead of both Open Government Portal and Data and Open Source Architecture. Prior to that Casovan spent more than five years with the City of Edmonton. She was also recently named as one of 100 Future Leaders: The World’s Most Influential Young People in Government.
“We are delighted to have someone with Ashley’s energy and talent join our team to accelerate our mission,” said Manoj Saxena, chairman of AI Global. “Her knowledge and vision paired with her ability to bring people together will help to build the trusted AI tools we need.”
In her new role as executive director, Casovan will work closely with the AI Global Board and its network of global advisors in order to to support the organization’s mission of catalyzing the adoption of responsible AI.
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AI Global offers what it calls the world’s first open AI marketplace. To date, it has been focused on three initiatives: responsible AI portal, responsible AI designer, and responsible AI check. The portal offers an “authoritative repository” that combines reports, standards, models, government policies, open datasets, and open-source software to help members navigate the industry and connect with experts. The designer tool offers virtual assessment to help members anticipate problems and “future-proof” their AI systems. The AI check is an independent certification mark (based on an AI Trust Index) helping consumers easily identify trusted AI services and tools.
“I am excited to join AI Global at such an important time in history,” Casovan said. “We are all becoming increasingly aware of the potential benefits and harms of AI, but we don’t always know how to best harness the full power of these systems. I look forward to supporting AI Global’s members and those building and using AI. We are aiming to make it easier to balance innovation and protection of the public.”
