Counties adopt AI framework as staff flag resources needed for rollout

The United Counties of Prescott and Russell council has adopted an artificial intelligence framework aimed at protecting residents’ information and keeping staff accountable, as administrators warn implementation will require more resources.

Council approved the Responsible Artificial Intelligence Use Framework at its Sept. 30 meeting. Developed by the Eastern Ontario IT Collaborative, it will guide AI use in county operations and services.

“We’ve always been quite eager on getting this started, but we also have to be quite careful,” chief administrative officer Stéphane P. Parisien said.

Some employees already have paid Copilot licences, Parisien told council, and training and orientation have begun. According to the staff report, employees must complete responsible-use training before gaining access to approved AI systems.

The framework requires qualified staff to check any information or material produced by AI before using it, publishing it or acting on it. Personal or confidential information must not enter consumer accounts or unapproved AI systems.

Russell Mayor Mike Tarnowski sought an implementation plan and regular reports on progress and risk management.

“It is a major issue across the world, and the risks involved are pretty substantial,” Tarnowski said.

Information technology director Marc-André Drouin said the framework would serve as a governance guide. The counties remained in an exploratory stage, with a committee overseeing technology investments and AI integration.

A detailed implementation plan would be premature, Drouin said, because the organization still needed to assess operational needs and business processes. Automating operations remained some distance away.

Parisien said the counties intended to provide regular council updates, although reporting arrangements were unsettled. He warned existing resources were insufficient and said additional staffing resources were being included in the 2027 budget.

Consultants had helped with orientation but he said the counties needed someone on board to handle the work. Parisien did not identify a staffing cost or the number of positions.

“This is a beast right now,” he said.

The staff report says adoption requires no additional capital spending approval. Future costs would go through the annual budget process where applicable.

Tarnowski supported the recommendation and asked for feedback in six months to a year. Council then adopted it.