The Digital Governance Standards Institute (DGSI) announces the publication of CAN/DGSI 128:2025 – Machine Learning and AI Implementation in Research Institutions, a new National Standard of Canada that establishes foundational guidance for the ethical, transparent, and sustainable use of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) technologies in research environments.
This is the first Canadian standard of its kind focused exclusively on the operational and research use of AI and ML across libraries, archives, universities, laboratories, and other public-serving research institutions. Developed by a national expert committee convened by DGSI, the standard responds to growing calls for responsible AI governance in sectors that steward knowledge, enable discovery, and serve as public digital infrastructure.
” As Canada plans to build a more sovereign and secure technology ecosystem, we need to pay close attention to how we support and protect our world-class research institutions, and the information and data they house. This standard will help to establish initial guidelines for research institutions, especially smaller institutions, to begin safely and effectively navigating AI adoption in trustworthy and human-centred ways” said Matthew da Mota, Chair of the Expert Drafting Team and Senior Research Associate, Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI)
What the Standard Covers
CAN/DGSI 128 outlines minimum requirements for organizations deploying or using AI tools to manage, preserve, analyze, or distribute research data and content. The standard addresses risks such as information loss, algorithmic bias, research security, and environmental impact, while promoting transparency, oversight, and cultural and data sovereignty.
Key sections of the standard include:
- Preserving information and data integrity in both physical and digital environments
- Maintaining metadata, provenance, and historical context across evolving research systems
- Ensuring informed, equitable, and rights-respecting access to AI-enhanced tools and services
- Implementing sustainability requirements for AI system selection and operation
- Establishing oversight, audit, and transparency practices, including user feedback mechanisms
- Providing training and literacy to foster responsible experimentation and cross-disciplinary collaboration
The standard applies to both the operational use of AI systems (e.g., cataloging, digitization, research infrastructure) and their research use (e.g., data analysis, machine-generated insights, digital experimentation).
A Sector-Specific Approach to AI Governance
The publication of CAN/DGSI 128 reflects the unique role of Canada’s research institutions in managing vast amounts of data and historical materials while advancing public-interest science. The standard complements existing frameworks such as CAN/DGSI 101 on ethical AI and CAN/DGSI 100-7 on responsible data stewardship.
“Research institutions are stewards of collective knowledge and critical infrastructure in the digital age,” said Darryl Kingston, Executive Director of DGSI. “This standard supports their mission by helping them adopt AI tools in ways that protect research integrity, institutional autonomy, and public trust.”
Access the Standard
CAN/DGSI 128:2025 is now available at CAN/DGSI 128. DGSI encourages academic institutions, research leaders, data professionals, and public-interest AI stakeholders to consult and adopt the standard to support ethical and resilient AI integration across Canada’s research ecosystem.
Get involved
The DGSI’s development process is collaborative and open to all, and anyone interested in contributing to the development of digital governance standards is encouraged to get involved. For more information on how to participate, contact:
Darryl Kingston
Executive Director
Digital Governance Standards Institute
darryl.kingston@dgc-cgn.org
About the Digital Governance Standards Institute
The Digital Governance Standards Institute develops digital technology governance standards fit for global use. The Institute works with experts, as well as national and global partners and the public to develop national standards that reduce risk to Canadians and Canadian organizations adopting and using innovative digital technologies in today’s digital economy. The Institute is an independent division of the Digital Governance Council. To learn more about the organization and its initiatives, visit www.dgc-cgn.org or contact info@dgc-cgn.org.