Guidance for Registrants Regarding the Use of Artificial Intelligence Tools
In addition to practice standards, bulletins, and guidelines, APEGA publishes practice notices to provide general advice and guidance to licensed professionals on emerging trends and issues in the engineering and geoscience professions in Alberta.
The following practice notice was first published in July 2025.
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Use of Artificial Intelligence by Licensed Professionals
Artificial intelligence (AI) has rapidly become a part of many people’s day-to-day lives. Licensed professionals working in engineering or geoscience who are using AI tools in their practice must continue to meet their ethical and professional obligations under the Engineering and Geoscience Professions Act, the General Regulation, and APEGA’s bylaws, as well as published practice standards and the Rules of Conduct outlined in the Code of Ethics.
If a licensed professional does not have the training or experience to competently understand the risks and limitations of AI tools and the validity of AI results, then they should not use AI tools in their practice.
As per APEGA’s Ethical Practice guideline, Section 4.1.7 Emerging Technologies:
Permit holders, licensed professionals, and members-in-training have a responsibility to maintain knowledge about or gain competence in the use of emerging technologies within their area of practice. Employers or clients should be advised accordingly and given assistance to manage such technologies to avoid negative impacts and maximize positive impacts on society.
With the rapid advancement of technologies, permit holders, licensed professionals, and members-in training should identify the implications and limitations of these technologies in the practices of engineering and geoscience, and they should understand their related professional and ethical obligations. They must demonstrate due diligence in understanding the effects of emerging technologies and related outcomes in their area of practice, including long-term impacts, and they must take professional responsibility to protect the public accordingly.
Permit holders, licensed professionals, and members-in-training should also recognize existing regulations, technical specifications, standards, and guidelines for these technologies. Since advancements in technology tend to outpace the creation of these documents, it falls upon permit holders, licensed professionals, and members-in-training to support the development of documentation that will help ensure the public interest is protected.
Using AI tools and results
If a licensed professional uses AI tools in their practice, they should treat the results no differently than results from software, calculators, or lookup tables—that is, the licensed professional must demonstrate due diligence in confirming the results are accurate and appropriate. If a licensed professional uses an AI result for a professional work product (PWP), the licensed professional must still authenticate and validate the PWP in accordance with the Authenticating Professional Work Products practice standard. All licensed professionals remain professionally responsible for their work, including when it is generated by AI or includes results from an AI tool.
Developing AI products
All licensed professionals are regulated, including those whose practice involves the development of AI products. To meet the requirements of the Authenticating Professional Work Products practice standard, licensed professionals must authenticate and validate any AI products they create in their practice.
Complaints regarding the use of AI
APEGA will review complaints of unprofessional conduct or unskilled practice related to the development or use of AI by licensed professionals who are regulated by APEGA, just as it would any other complaint. All relevant APEGA practice standards, bulletins, and guidelines apply to licensed professionals’ work developing or using AI.