A cross-disciplinary team from Osler, including Sam Ip, partner, Technology; Leo Wang, Director, AI and Technology; and Tyler Lovell, software developer, participated in the Government of Canada’s G7 GovAI Grand Challenge, a global initiative focused on advancing responsible and effective adoption of artificial intelligence across the public sector.
The problem
Lengthy procurement cycles remain one of the biggest barriers to government AI adoption. While AI vendors face outdated IT clauses and rigid requirements, government teams struggle to translate high-level AI policies, directives and standards into contract-ready language. Subject-matter expertise is unevenly distributed, and even well-intentioned teams can unintentionally demand model ownership, dataset disclosure, or “zero-error” guarantees that do not align with modern AI practices.
The result is that deals stall, not because of quality or cost, but because governments lack tools to operationalize AI rules efficiently and consistently.
The solution: GovAI Contracting Copilot
To close this standards-to-execution gap, the Osler team built GovAI Contracting Copilot, a working prototype that reflects prevailing market provisions and expectations for AI and translates Government of Canada and G7 policies into practical, contract-ready language. The prototype centers on a modular library of AI contracting provisions and standards, informed by real-world AI negotiations, with AI-assisted analysis designed around what matters most in AI agreements, including transparency, data governance, bias, security and oversight.
Users upload a contract and the system analyzes it against these standards — identifying gaps, flagging risks, suggesting policy-aligned language and generating a scorecard and addendum to support negotiations. Outputs are presented in plain language with source-backed rationales that users can easily verify.
By turning high-level AI policy into contract-ready guidance, the Copilot aims to significantly shorten procurement timelines, improve consistency across departments and embed responsible AI principles directly into government contracting.
“The GovAI Contracting Copilot exemplifies our expertise turning complex legal and regulatory requirements into tools and processes that teams can use at scale. It translates AI policy and market practice into practical, repeatable contracting guidance that fits real procurement workflows. By doing this, we can streamline the procurement process and enable risk‑managed innovation that serves the public interest,” says Natalie Munroe, Chief, Osler Works – Transactional and Legal Operations.
Why this matters
GovAI Contracting Copilot supports governments in adopting AI that is safe, fair and accountable. It democratizes access to specialized contracting expertise, reduces cognitive load for procurement teams, and provides vendors with predictable, policy-aligned requirements.
Most importantly, it helps move responsible AI adoption from aspiration to execution, accelerating delivery of digital public services while strengthening safeguards for Canadians.
Learn more about Osler’s expertise in AI and Osler Works.
