The government of New Brunswick, Canada, has entered the world of artificial intelligence (AI) with the implementation of a website called ChatGNB that’s available exclusively for government employees.
While there aren’t many details on exactly how it’s being used, the Department of Finance and Treasury Board, which has been piloting the program for the past year, said it’s mainly being used for translating internal documents. But this has some translators concerned.
“There are certain ethical considerations here that we should take into account, because translators fear that they may lose jobs, or that their source of income may diminish,” said Sergey Petrov, a certified translator and the president of the Corporation of Translators, Terminologists and Interpreters of New Brunswick.
Petrov said many of the corporation’s 110 members are individual contractors, and some may get less work if AI is used in their place. “It can make your work a lot easier, but there are some valid concerns,” he said.
Government officials said ChatGNB was created with the support of the Office of the Chief Information Officer and that it’s being used because it’s more private and secure than other AI models out there. “The tool was developed to address the need for meeting privacy and security requirements not previously available from commercial services, while safely exploring benefits from AI,” said a statement from a representative with the Department of Finance.
The Department of Finance said that documents like collective agreements, contracts, policies, and external-facing documents will continue to be translated by Service New Brunswick’s translation services, even as AI develops.
Petrov said the government told the corporation that “employees are encouraged to review translations for accuracy and formatting.” But he doesn’t think that guideline goes far enough and said the corporation will be issuing a formal statement suggesting the government require AI translations to be reviewed and corrected by a real human.
“For me, this is an immediate red flag,” Petrov said. “Because if you want to produce something that’s intended for public use, or that has a serious nature such as legal documents, legally binding documents, or technical documentation or commercial documentation without a review, you are set for trouble sooner or later.”
Petrov said he thinks ChatGNB will open the door for AI to be used for more tasks. “There should be a human being in charge who can be held responsible for what they produce.”
CBC News (1/29/26) By Victoria Walton