Gen(Z)AI is a first-of-its-kind youth assembly that focuses on artificial intelligence (AI), bringing together 100 young Canadians aged 17–23 from across the country to contribute directly to discussions on the future of AI governance in Canada. The initiative is jointly organized by the Centre for Media, Technology and Democracy and the Dialogue on Technology Project, in partnership with Mila, Quebec’s AI Institute and Make.org.

This report outlines the purpose, methodology and key findings from the fourth and final Gen(Z)AI forum, held in Halifax and focused on AI and Age Assurance. The Halifax forum was one of four regional forums, alongside sessions on chatbots, information integrity, and data privacy. Over three days, participants engaged with expert speakers, took part in workshops, and deliberated on policy challenges and opportunities related to AI and Age Assurance. A consolidated final report, detailing the policy recommendations from all four regional forums, will be released on April 30, 2026 marking the conclusion of the project.

Forum Focus: AI & Age Assurance

The final forum of Gen(Z)AI examined the various approaches employed by online operators to verify the ages of their users. Debates around age assurance have been steadily moving to the forefront of Canada's legislative agenda. These mechanisms seek to restrict younger users’ access to potentially explicit, harmful, and inappropriate content, often through AI-based age assessments conducted by third-party verification platforms (AVP). A 2024 consultation by the Office of the Privacy Commission of Canada (OPC) found that the implementation of age assurance technologies necessitates clear commitments to proportionality, data minimization and safety-by-design standards.

Participants at the Halifax forum expressed dissatisfaction with the state of existing age assurance technologies and their impacts on privacy and anonymity. Throughout deliberations, several areas of concern were raised: an overreliance on restrictive measures rather than on addressing structural deficiencies; limited domestic enforcement standards; and insufficient transparency regarding how personal verification data is collected, stored, and used. Notably, many participants raised strong objections to the normalization of invasive identification and personal data collection, even when well-intentioned. They felt that these practices set alarming precedents for how future generations are expected to engage online and that they reinforce harmful surveillance practices. Participants emphasized that the values they deemed important to their digital lives, including accountability, security, safety, service, well-being, and adaptability, affirming that online participation, at any age, should not come at the cost of personal agency and safety. 

The final forum combined expert briefings, preparatory resources, interactive workshops and deliverable policymaking sessions. Participants were encouraged to develop a comprehensive and nuanced understanding of what age assurance entails. Perspectives on age verification practices, risk factors and global industry standards were shared as they deepened their comprehension and worked collaboratively to identify priority concerns and policy directives.