Academy

AI Advantage: Boosting Productivity in the Public Service

Offered in partnership with Mila – Québec AI Institute

Learn how to leverage generative AI to support and enhance your workplace productivity.

AI is transforming how we work, but the productivity promise won’t happen organically. Leveraging the full potential of AI requires critical reflection on what this technology can and cannot do, and where AI tools can best be applied within our workflows.

AI Advantage is a synchronous online workshop offered in partnership with Mila – Quebec AI Institute. Through skills-focused presentations, interactive assignments, and personalized feedback, participants will learn how to leverage generative AI to support and enhance their workplace productivity.

Specifically designed for public servants, this hands-on workshop will equip participants with the skills to effectively connect AI tools to their workplace responsibilities. Recognizing the challenges that come with navigating new and rapidly evolving AI technologies, this workshop will provide actionable steps for public servants to self-reflect on their workflows and leverage AI in a responsible and impactful way.

Program dates

English edition: February 24 & 26, 2026
English edition: May 12 & 14, 2026

Contact us at academy@ppforum.ca to be notified when new dates are released.

A note on guideline compliance

This workshop takes every effort to be aligned with public service guidelines on the use of AI. However, participants are responsible for ensuring compliance within the constraints of their organization and department.

Prior to participating in AI Advantage, for an overview of the basics of AI in the public service, participants are invited to complete “Using Generative AI in the Government of Canada,” offered by the Canada School of Public Service. This course explains the fundamentals of Gen AI use and may help prepare participants with the appropriate base knowledge for the AI Advantage workshop.

Program Cost

$590 per participant (includes customized feedback)
15% discount for Mila / PPF members

Our partner

About Mila

Located at the heart of Quebec’s artificial intelligence ecosystem, Mila – Québec AI Institute is a community of over 1000 researchers specialized in machine learning and dedicated to scientific excellence and innovation. Our mission is to build a global hub of scientific progress that inspires innovation and the growth of artificial intelligence for the benefit of all. The institute is recognized for its expertise and innovation in language modeling, machine translation, object recognition, and generative models.

Since its inception, Mila has focused its mission on core research areas such as health, environment and climate change, and the ethics of AI. The socially responsible development of AI is central to Mila’s mission. As a leader, the institute contributes to social dialogue and the development of applications that will benefit society through collaboration between researchers and stakeholders with diverse expertise who want to harness the potential of AI and advanced technologies to create a better world.

Learn more.

Who should attend

AI Advantage is designed for public servants at all levels of government interested in leveraging AI to improve their daily work, while considering the specific constraints around using generative AI in the public sector. The program touches on common public service tasks, including but not limited to report and policy writing, data analysis, forecasting, environmental scans, communications and other administrative duties.

Program highlights

The AI Advantage workshop consists of two modules, lasting two hours each.

Four hours of synchronous online workshop
A maximum of two to four hours for individual assignments
While the time taken for individual assignments may vary due to technical abilities, the assignments are designed to benefit participants at all levels of AI proficiency, and the program offers personalized feedback for learners to improve.

Workshop highlights

Intro to AI for Public Servants: Participants will learn about AI’s capabilities and limitations, and explore generative AI tools that can be leveraged in their work.
Operationalizing AI: Participants will review key tasks undertaken by public servants and explore gen AI technologies that can support their work.
Mapping Workflows for AI: Participants will self-reflect on their work processes, map their workflows to AI capabilities, and assess where AI can add value.
Interactive and Practical Focus: Participants will engage in hands-on exercises designed to practically integrate generative AI tools into their daily tasks. 
Talking to AI and applying AI Tools: Participants will learn how to prompt AI tools and use them to improve processes and efficiency in work tasks. Participants will learn how process improvements and greater efficiency in tasks can increase productivity and contribute to a balanced work culture. 
Evaluation and Personalized Feedback: Participants will receive personalized feedback on their assignments to refine their application of AI tools in their specific work contexts.

Learning objectives

After this workshop, participants will be able to:

Analyze and map their workflow to identify areas where AI can be applied effectively
Implement AI tools to tackle concrete challenges in day-to-day work
Understand how to use AI responsibly in the workplace, in line with AI guidelines of the federal public service
Gain a fundamental understanding of AI’s capabilities and limitations in government
Recognize the importance of data and analytics in improving workplace processes
Leverage AI for ideation and problem-solving

Speakers

Design and Delivery Team

Sara-Christine Gemson

Executive Director, Public Policy Forum Academy
Ariana Seferiades

Project Manager, Learning, Learning Experience and Development
Shingai Manjengwa

Head of AI Education, ChainML
Fiona Joncas

Program Manager, Responsible AI Learning