The federal government wants to get public servants off ChatGPT and onto homegrown tools built in-house, according to a report from The Logic. Ottawa is developing its own AI systems to reduce the use of commercial platforms that could pose privacy risks or violate federal data rules.
Many government workers are already using generative AI tools like ChatGPT to speed up routine tasks such as writing memos or performance reviews, said Stephen Burt, Canada’s Chief Data Officer. But public servants are banned from entering personal or sensitive data into these kinds of public platforms.
To offer a safer alternative, Ottawa has rolled out CANChat, an in-house AI chatbot powered by open-source models hosted on government cloud infrastructure. About 5,300 staff are using it as part of a pilot program for unclassified work, according to Shared Services Canada spokesperson Nick Wells. A broader rollout is planned, though no date has been given.
CANChat is designed specifically for government use says its website. The tool was built with privacy, ethics, and security in mind—key requirements for any federal tech. While popular tools like ChatGPT and Copilot can help draft emails, summarize text, and improve writing, they aren’t compliant with Canada’s data privacy rules. That’s because they store information outside the country.
SSC says CANChat offers many of the same benefits, but in a way that keeps government data secure. Staff are being invited to learn more about the tool and how it could help with daily tasks.
Burt told The Logic that if tools like CANChat aren’t as good as commercial options like ChatGPT, federal employees will likely keep using the public tools anyway. “To get public servants to switch from ChatGPT to CANChat, the in-house tool needs to be available as soon as possible and it needs to be as good,” he said.
The government’s new internal AI strategy, launched in March, includes a two-year plan to improve adoption by offering clear rules and technical support for departments building their own AI projects. A new AI Centre of Excellence will guide teams on how to use AI responsibly and avoid duplication across government.
Besides CANChat, Ottawa has also made other in-house chatbots based on AI. Those include AgPal built by the agricultural department and PSPC Translate used by its translation bureau. There’s no word yet on how much the federal government has spent building CANChat. We know the feds aren’t very good at maintaining a budget when it comes to building apps (*cough* ArriveCAN anyone?).
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