(Quebec) The official opposition deplores the absence of the Minister of Culture, Mathieu Lacombe, from a committee on artificial intelligence (AI) set up by the Legault government.

According to the Liberal Party (PLQ), advances in artificial intelligence could even threaten the Quebec film dubbing industry.

During question period on Wednesday, the minister justified his absence from the committee set up last week by saying that committees with too many staff are ineffective.

The debate was launched in the National Assembly by the Liberal Party of Quebec (PLQ) following the release of a fake song that went viral.

Indeed, in the piece Heart on My Sleeve, we hear the voices of Drake and The Weeknd, except that they have never collaborated and that it is rather the work of artificial intelligence.

This raises ethical questions about the “integrity of the artistic process,” Liberal spokeswoman Michelle Setlakwe raised in the House.

“Computers being able to mimic the voices of artists means anyone can actually create fake songs,” she said.

As an example, she mentioned the film dubbing industry, which employs 3,700 artists, according to the figures she cited.

“Unfortunately, this industry today is under threat […]. It is now possible to use software to dub actors in all languages, while retaining their original voices. If nothing is done, a computer in Los Angeles could carry out the work of some 3,700 artists in Quebec. »

Mr. Lacombe retorted that “miracle solutions do not exist”, adding however that there are “means on the table to try to prevent, to try to improve what we are doing”, without specifying which ones.

“We do not claim here, in Quebec, to be able to curb a global phenomenon like this from top to bottom. »

The minister said he has “rarely seen anything so inefficient” as 30-person committees, to justify his absence from the artificial intelligence committee.

Last week, Mr. Fitzgibbon held featured meetings with experts and members of the opposition regarding the framing of artificial intelligence.

He then announced that he was entrusting the Conseil de l’innovation du Québec with the responsibility of defining the guidelines for a legislative and regulatory framework for artificial intelligence in Quebec.

Recall that two weeks ago, a petition signed by around 20,000 experts called for a six-month moratorium on research into artificial intelligence.