Canada’s First AI Literacy Day Launches March 27
MEDIA ADVISORY
Canada’s First AI Literacy Day Launches March 27
MediaSmarts experts available to discuss the urgent need for AI literacy education in Canada
Ottawa, ON — March 27, 2026 — MediaSmarts, Canada’s centre for digital media literacy, is launching Canada’s first AI Literacy Day on March 27, 2026, a national initiative designed to help people of all ages — from youth to seniors — understand and engage critically with artificial intelligence.
AI tools are rapidly becoming part of everyday life, from chatbots and AI-generated deepfakes and scams to the algorithms shaping what we see online. AI Literacy Day will highlight the importance of giving Canadians the knowledge and critical thinking skills they need to navigate this new landscape safely and responsibly.
“At unprecedented speed, AI has become an everyday presence in people’s lives,” says Kathryn Hill, Executive Director of MediaSmarts. “AI literacy isn’t just about learning how to use new tools. Canadians need the critical thinking skills to question what they see online, recognize deepfakes and understand why algorithms are serving them certain content. If we want people to participate fully and safely in a digital society shaped by AI, we need to start building those skills now.”
MediaSmarts’ AI Literacy Day covers topics like:
- The rise of AI chatbots and how young people are interacting with tools like ChatGPT and other generative AI platforms
- Recent incidents highlighting AI risks, including concerns about chatbot responses and online safety
- AI-generated misinformation and the rise of deepfakes, including how Canadians can recognize manipulated images and videos used in scams
- Intimate deepfakes and how youth, parents and schools can address them
- How algorithms shape the information we see online and why understanding them is critical for democracy
- Why Canada needs a digital media literacy strategy that includes AI literacy, alongside broader AI policy and regulation
- How schools, families and communities can build AI literacy skills
About AI Literacy Day
AI Literacy Day will encourage classrooms and communities across Canada to explore how artificial intelligence works, how it shapes online experiences and how people can engage with AI critically and responsibly.
The initiative builds on MediaSmarts’ long-standing work advancing digital media literacy and follows the success of Media Literacy Week, which engages more than 200 partner organizations and millions of Canadians each year.
Media Contact
Tricia Grant
Director of Marketing & Communications
MediaSmarts
[email protected]
613-224-7721 ext. 231
About MediaSmarts
MediaSmarts is Canada’s centre for digital media literacy. For 30 years, MediaSmarts has developed research-based, bilingual resources and programs that help young people and adults engage with digital media confidently, critically and responsibly.