Faculty of Arts at TMU gains new Canada Research Chair
Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) has been awarded a new Canada Research Chair (CRC), as announced by the Government of Canada. The CRC program recognizes some of the world’s most accomplished and promising minds aiming to achieve research excellence in their fields.
Tyne Daile Sumner will join TMU’s Faculty of Arts in the Department of English as the new Tier 2 CRC in Textual Futures. Her research will explore what it means to write, create and reason in a world shaped by generative technologies. Stressing the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration, professor Sumner aims to demonstrate why literary and humanities perspectives are essential to understanding and shaping the future of AI.
“This new CRC is an opportunity to cut through some of the hype surrounding AI-generated text by turning to humanities-led research on questions of value, interpretation and meaning,” she explained. “There is an urgent need for deeper collaboration between AI and the humanities – not as an afterthought, but as core research infrastructure.”
By combining literary insight with ethical design and co-creation, professor Sumner and her team will develop critical and creative tools to assess AI systems and their cultural impact. Her work will also address growing concerns about misinformation, bias and fairness, helping shape more responsible and equitable approaches to the use and governance of AI-generated text.
“This work is a necessary bridge towards more informed and humane ways of understanding the relationship between text, culture and the future direction of artificial intelligence,” she said.
“I am delighted to welcome professor Sumner to TMU’s Faculty of Arts as a new Canada Research Chair,” said Steven N. Liss, TMU’s vice-president, research and innovation. “By combining humanities insight with AI innovation, her research will help address misinformation, bias and digital inequity so these technologies work fairly for everyone.”
Learn more about Toronto Metropolitan University’s Canada Research Chairs.
Read the Government of Canada’s funding announcement. (external link, opens in new window)
Related links:
New and renewed Canada Research Chairs at TMU (April 2025)
TMU researchers named Canada Research Chairs (November 2024)