B.C. Attorney General Niki Sharma says she has written to the federal government to seek changes to the Criminal Code for clearer accountability tied to AI actions after recent reporting about an AI chatbot’s role in the Tumbler…
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B.C. Attorney General Niki Sharma says she has asked the federal government for Criminal Code changes aimed at strengthening accountability for artificial intelligence companies after she reviewed reporting describing AI chatbot conversations allegedly connected to the Tumbler Ridge shootings.
Sharma, speaking after reading the account, said the goal is to create a “clearer pathway” for accountability not only for individuals but also for corporations. She said it would remain up to the RCMP—not her office—whether to pursue criminal charges related to the technology.
The Tumbler Ridge attack, which occurred in February, resulted in eight deaths, including five pupils at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School. Sharma’s letter to Ottawa followed what she described as a need to ensure the legal framework can address the way AI systems may influence or enable harmful conduct.
Federal AI and justice officials said they received the letter. Canada’s AI minister, Evan Solomon, said he and Justice Minister Sean Fraser had been made aware of the request, and he added that he found the account “horrifying.”
Solomon said he could not comment on the specific details described in relation to the chatbot conversations because an RCMP investigation is ongoing. His office said he was not previously aware of the specific conversations detailed in the reporting.
British Columbia’s NDP leader David Eby said during a campaign stop that if the reporting is accurate, criminal charges should follow. His remarks were framed as a position on how accountability should work if the allegations about the chatbot are proven.
A Vancouver lawyer, Michael Shapray, said possible legal reforms to the Criminal Code could address offences involving categories such as recklessness, wilful blindness, or knowledge that an AI program was capable of committing an offence or counselling the offence. He noted that while an AI system itself cannot be jailed, criminal accountability could be pursued through corporate liability tied to the people responsible for conduct connected to the technology.
Police responses focused on the scope of the current investigation. In a statement, RCMP Staff Sgt. Kris Clark said the investigation into the shootings has used all available legal processes to obtain information from relevant social media and digital platforms, and that requests made to companies had been complied with to date.
The reporting also described the use of chatbot accounts that were purportedly shut down after requests related to mass-killing scenarios, followed by the creation of additional accounts. It further alleged that the chatbot provided guidance that could be used to plan or improve violence. However, authorities did not confirm the authenticity of the chatbot content, and the RCMP investigation remains ongoing.
OpenAI has not issued a response to multiple requests for comment about the specific allegations described in the reporting.
For Canadian readers, the exchange highlights a growing pressure point for lawmakers: determining how criminal responsibility applies when harmful intent, instruction, or facilitation may be delivered through AI tools. Sharma’s request to Ottawa seeks changes that would clarify how criminal law can apply to both individuals and companies as investigations continue.
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