Final call as deadline approaches to enter the Canadian Public Service Data and AI Challenge
Canada’s public servants are urged to submit their entries for the 2024-25 Canadian Public Service Data/AI Challenge this week or apply to join a team, as applications close on 10 January. Knowledge partners IBM, Dell and Nvidia have now also been confirmed to support this year’s Challenge.
The Challenge, organised by Statistics Canada, Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) and Global Government Forum and now in its third edition, identifies promising ideas for data-based reforms and services, then creates dedicated teams to move them into implementation.
“This is a fantastic way to develop your own skills and career while improving the lives of Canadians,” said Stephen Burt, Canada’s chief data officer and one of the programme’s three ‘champions’, speaking at the Challenge launch earlier this year.
“Those putting forward the best ideas will get to carry them all the way through into delivery, like our first year’s winners – whose concept is now up and running as the AgPal chatbot: the Government of Canada’s first public-facing generative AI tool.”
How to get involved
Under the Data/AI Challenge, any Canadian federal public servant can submit an idea for how to improve government’s use of data – perhaps by linking two datasets to improve services, creating a data dashboard to improve decision-making, or applying new technologies such as generative AI. The most promising ideas are then longlisted, and teams with the right skills and contacts are built to develop each concept.
“Think about all the things that you could do if you use data in a different way, then go for it! You don’t need to have all the answers or a fully baked idea to enter,” said Elise Legendre, chief data officer of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) and member of the Data Challenge judging panel. “You just have to have a good idea: put your name in and see where it goes!”
“Even if you don’t have your own idea for how to better use data, you can still get involved: our teams need people with all kinds of skills, from a wide range of organisations and at all levels of seniority,” Burt added. “It’s a brilliant opportunity to work in an interdisciplinary, cross-departmental team with people from across the public service, while learning how to develop and introduce digital technologies. These are going to be crucial skills over the coming years.”
The Challenge is not only for data professionals. As Erica Ren, chief data officer at Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada and another Challenge judge, noted: “A lot of the successful candidates aren’t data scientists” and the teams need a range of capabilities – such as policy, communications and project management – and connections into all the departments relating to their idea.
New partners
This year’s Public Service Data/AI Challenge is supported by knowledge partners IBM, Dell and Nvidia.
Robert Conlin, managing director, federal government, IBM Canada, said: “For more than a century, IBM Canada has stood at the forefront of technological innovation, consistently pushing boundaries and redefining possibilities for societal advancement. Our support of the Public Service Data/AI Challenge is another example of this commitment as we enable others to use AI to drive innovation that can tackle complex issues, enhance services, and ultimately improve the quality of life for all Canadians.
“We’re excited to contribute our expertise and resources towards this initiative, fostering a data-driven future for Canada.”
Real-world impact
After an initial research and development phase, the longlisted teams pitch their ideas to a judging panel of senior data leaders. Those shortlisted then embark on further development work before meeting the judging panel again at the final.
Last year’s Public Service Data Challenge was won by a team that aims to combine data held in two separate NRCan datasets to understand how money spent under the Green Homes programme has improved domestic energy efficiency – dramatically improving the information available to public funders and homeowners on how best to cut energy bills and carbon emissions.
Burt said that the project demonstrated “the incredible potential of data to solve real-world problems”.
Meanwhile, Canadians are already benefiting from the winning idea from the first Data/AI Challenge in 2023. The AI-powered AgPal chatbot was born of an idea submitted by policy analyst Jay Conte. The project was supported through to implementation and became the Government of Canada’s first public-facing generative AI tool.
About Sarah Wray
Sarah has over 15 years’ experience as a journalist with a specialism in the public sector and topics such as digitalisation and climate action. Sarah was formerly the editor of Cities Today and Smart Cities World, as well as a specialist video-based publication in the aerospace sector. She has also written for publications including Smart Cities Dive, Mobile Europe, Mobile World Live and Computer Weekly.
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