City to use AI to monitor construction
The city plans a downtown laboratory to use artificial intelligence to monitor construction sites.
“During the fall election, Montreal Mayor Soraya Martinez Ferrada promised to make the downtown core more accessible to drivers.” While other more intelligent cities are making their cores less accessible to drivers.
La Presse is already fêting a summer without orange cones. Maybe we can increase the average driving speed downtown!
steph 14:25 on 2026-02-12 Permalink
While I’m encouraged by the potential outcome here—fewer cars downtown—I think there’s an important caution worth highlighting. We’re likely to see more politicians relying on AI to justify or execute decisions, which can blur accountability. When decisions are framed as “the algorithm’s conclusion,” it risks becoming statistical manipulation at its highest level, with responsibility quietly shifted away from the people in charge.
Ephraim 19:26 on 2026-02-12 Permalink
Wait until AI comes with advertisements…. you ask it how to handle the rerouting of traffic downtown and it comes with these two ads in the middel…
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Tim S. 23:05 on 2026-02-12 Permalink
I wouldn’t worry about reduced construction increasing speed. Potholes are probably the best traffic calming tool we have.
Ian 08:34 on 2026-02-13 Permalink
This is true, on Cote de Liesse between Stinson and Rockland the potholes that were repaired a mere two weeks ago are back with a vengeance, and even big trucks are doing 20 in a 50 zone going through the really bad spots. Perhaps the least effective road patching work I’ve ever seen, it’s pretty impressive, really.