The Government of Nova Scotia announced a five-person AI team to support the incorporation of artificial intelligence into provincial government operations. The team is tasked with establishing protocols for AI tool use across all departments and identifying productivity tools, including Microsoft Copilot, for government staff.
The team represents the first dedicated AI governance unit within the Nova Scotia public service. Its mandate is operational and advisory: it identifies and recommends tools, sets internal use guidelines, and supports departments adopting AI. It does not have legislative authority, enforcement powers, or a mandate to regulate AI outside government.
Nova Scotia also launched an AI chatbot called Scottie to answer questions about provincial government services, and designated AI as one of six priority sectors in its investment promotion mandate.
Score note: dimension 10 scores 1 (a named government team has an explicit AI mandate to set protocols and conduct oversight within government; advisory and operational, not a full regulator with legal enforcement powers). Dimension 11 scores 1 (civil servant AI guidance and protocol-setting is underway; no minimum training standard defined, no verification before deployment).