Phoebe the Pug is probably more qualified than you (on paper).
With more than 200 different certifications to his name, the Alberta dog could theoretically safely drive a truck, operate a boat and operate a forklift.
She even received a professional service certificate from Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC).
So legally, yes, Phoebe the pug could serve you a cold one.
It's all part of a test by Cognisense, a Calgary-based security firm that specializes in online training.
The company asked Phoebe—the office pug and “Cognisense's unofficial chief training officer”—to complete a provincial online course to become certified in ProServe Liquor staff training. This is a credential required for workers in positions that involve serving alcoholic beverages, such as a bartender.
The company's investigation using an artificial intelligence tool found that online learning could be “accelerated” in just six minutes without any identity verification or participation monitoring.
Cognisense managing director Robert Day said the experiment draws attention to the serious security threat posed by online learning programs.
According to Day, the standards for delivering in-person and online training have changed dramatically.
If Phoebe can successfully complete the mandatory AI training, the certificate will be a tick-box exercise, he said.
“AI tools can go in there and automatically complete that training without any human input. And that's why Phoebe, you know, obviously she's not human, but she highlights the fact that you don't have to be human anymore to get the training.”
Identification Processes Considered
In a statement emailed to CBC News, AGLC said: “Because the ProServe certificate details must match the government-issued photo ID at the place of employment, full ID verification is not required to complete training.
“The AGLC Regulatory Division regularly inspects licensed establishments to ensure that staff comply with all relevant policies, regulations and certification requirements.”
He adds that if program participants' credentials are falsified, the agency may suspend their certification until they are up to date.
The AGLC confirmed to CBC News that the account associated with Phoebe's certification was closed on October 21.
Day said the COVID-19 pandemic and the shift to online modes have changed training processes a bit.
“Every [needed] “to find a way to effectively bring learning to the masses of people,” Day said. “We need to make sure that this is done in a way that identifies the person, to ensure that it is the person involved and not some kind of artificial intelligence tool.”
According to Cognisense, Phoebe received the same certification from the AGLC in 2024. After receiving notice, AGLC refunded her fees and cited the move to an LMS as the reason for the unvalidated test, the press release said.
AMA retreats
Cognisese said Phoebe also successfully completed her Alberta Defensive Driving Certification through the Alberta Automobile Association (AMA) online course. The certificate is a step toward removing up to three penalty points from individual licenses.
The AMA told CBC News in an emailed statement that it first learned of the situation from Cognisense, “a company that deliberately created a false profile for an online disability mitigation course for the avowed purpose of selling us their commercial product.”
“To be clear, no dogs received a penalty reduction,” the AMA said.
“Completing the course does not automatically result in a reduction in fines – the certificate must be officially verified in person and matched to a valid driver's license.”
The AMA added that any claim that the online fine reduction course itself results in reduced fines or that there is no identity verification component to the process is completely false.
While many online certifications have a verification component, for those that don't, Day stressed the importance of raising the standard so that real people get the training they need to keep themselves and others safe.
Steve Sullivan, CEO of Mothers Against Drunk Driving Canada, said in a press release: “If AI is used to bypass this training, we risk handing over certificates to unqualified servers and putting impaired drivers on our roads.”
“Governments must ensure that standards for training providers are strengthened and safeguards are in place to ensure that those who purport to complete training have done so through their own efforts.
“The integrity of this system is essential to protecting lives.”
