COPE on AI: pause AI chat tools in schools, protect city data, oppose AI data centres
COPE would pause the rollout of AI large language models in Vancouver schools until a technology audit is done, stop public data from training AI owned by tech billionaires, oppose using AI to replace workers, and oppose AI data centres in Vancouver.
FIGHT FOR VANCOUVER · PAGE 23
Don't Force A.I. on Vancouver: what the Fight for Vancouver says
COPE's platform has its own chapter on artificial intelligence. The party would pause the rollout of AI large language models, the systems behind AI chat tools, in Vancouver schools. It would consult parents and others and run a technology audit to set rules. The audit would cover student safety and privacy, effects on learning and mental health, the environmental cost of AI, the lack of AI use policies for students and staff, and the use of AI in public consultation.
For City Hall, COPE would set AI rules for managers, staff and elected officials so that public data and data about residents is never used to train AI systems owned by tech billionaires. Any city partnership with an outside company would have to protect personal data. The party would also oppose using AI to automate jobs, lay off workers or weaken labour rights.
Finally, COPE would oppose data centres for AI, which it calls "AI Factories", in Vancouver, and fight for rules that hold any such centre to account for water use, energy, noise and public health before it goes ahead. The school items would be decisions for the School Board. Council sets rules for city staff and data and controls zoning and permits for new buildings.
4 COMMITMENTS
What the party says it would do
Pause AI language models in Vancouver schools
COPE would pause the rollout of AI large language models (LLMs) in Vancouver schools, consult parents and others, and carry out a technology audit to set rules on student safety and privacy, effects on learning and mental health, open consultation on AI use, its climate and environmental impact, the lack of student and staff AI policies, and the validity of results when AI is used in public engagement.
- Who has the power
- School Board The School Board runs Vancouver public schools and decides which tools they use.
AI rules to protect public data
The party would set AI governance policies for managers, staff and elected officials so that public data and data about residents is never used to train AI systems owned by tech billionaires, and so that city partnerships with outside companies protect personal data.
- Who has the power
- City Council Council sets the rules for the city's own staff, data and contracts.
Oppose using AI to replace workers
COPE would oppose the use of AI to automate jobs, lay off workers and weaken labour rights.
- Who has the power
- City Council Council decides how the city's own workforce and services are run. The platform does not say how it would act beyond city jobs.
Oppose AI data centres in Vancouver
The party would oppose building and running urban data centres for AI ("AI Factories") in Vancouver, and fight for strong rules that hold any AI data centre to account for water use, energy, noise and public health before a project goes ahead.
- Who has the power
- City, with others Council controls zoning and permits in the city. The wider rules the platform calls for would be set by other governments.
WHO WOULD HAVE TO ACT
Where the power sits for this chapter
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Questions about don't force a.i. on vancouver
Does COPE want to ban AI in Vancouver schools?
COPE would pause the rollout of AI large language models in Vancouver schools and run a technology audit with parents and others to set rules on safety, privacy, learning, mental health and the environment (platform, page 23).
What is COPE's position on AI data centres?
COPE would oppose AI data centres, which it calls "AI Factories", in Vancouver, and fight for rules that hold any such project to account for water use, energy, noise and public health (platform, page 23).
How would COPE protect Vancouver residents' data from AI?
COPE would set AI rules for city managers, staff and elected officials so that public data and data about residents is never used to train AI owned by tech billionaires, and so that city partnerships protect personal data (platform, page 23).
Does COPE oppose using AI to cut city jobs?
Yes. COPE says it would oppose the use of AI to automate jobs, lay off workers and weaken labour rights (platform, page 23).
Who decides whether AI is used in Vancouver schools?
The Vancouver School Board runs the city's public schools, so a pause on AI tools in classrooms would be a School Board decision. COPE is running candidates for the School Board as well as Council (platform, page 23).
ON THE BALLOT
The COPE candidates behind this
Sources
Every commitment on this page comes from the party's own material, marked SAYS SO ITSELF. It proves what the party says it would do. Who holds each power is our own addition, from the sources listed after it.
- Fight for Vancouver: COPE 2026 Platform (PDF) SAYS SO ITSELFCOPE · pages 23 · checked