The National Post reports in its Tuesday, Aug. 15, edition that the Liberal government has quietly begun work on a voluntary code of conduct for generative artificial intelligence technology like Microsoft-backed ChatGPT. The Post's Anja Karadeglija writes that a spokesman for Innovation Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne confirmed a consultation is happening, after the government posted it as open and then removed it from its "Consulting with Canadians" website. Audrey Champoux said in an e-mailed statement that Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada "is conducting a brief consultation on generative AI with AI experts, including from academia, industry, and civil society on a voluntary code of practice intended for Canadian AI companies." A government source said the on-line posting was put up too early in the process, since the government is just sending out invitations for roundtable discussions. University of Ottawa professor Michael Geist spotted the accidentally posted consultation and posted about it on social media Friday. Conservative MP Michelle Rempel said the consultation "caught a lot of people, including parliamentarians, by surprise."