Phoebe the pug is probably more qualified than you (on paper).
With over 200 different certifications to her name, the Alberta dog could — in theory — safely drive a truck, steer a boat and operate a forklift.
She’s even been issued pro-serve certification by the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC) agency.
So legally, yes, Phoebe the pug could have served you a cold one.
It’s all part of a test by Cognisense, a Calgary-based security firm with a focus on online training.
The company had Phoebe — the office pug and Cognisense’s “unofficial Chief Training Integrity Officer” — take the province’s online course to get her ProServe Liquor Staff Training certificate. It’s a credential required for workers in roles that involve serving liquor, such as bartending.
Using the help of an artificial intelligence tool, the company’s investigation showed the online training could be “fast-forwarded” through in just about six minutes without any identity verification or participation monitoring.
Cognisense’s managing director Robert Day said the experiment brings attention to the serious security risk posed by online training programs.
The standard of conducting training in-person to online has changed dramatically, Day said.
If mandatory training can be completed successfully by Phoebe using AI, he said, then the certificate becomes a box-ticking exercise.
“AI tools can go in there and automatically complete this training without any human involvement. 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 to receive training anymore.”
Identification processes in question
In an emailed statement to CBC News, AGLC said “Since ProServe certificate details must align with the individual’s government-issued photo ID at their place of employment, a full ID verification process is not required to complete the training.
“AGLC’s Regulatory Division routinely inspects licensed establishments to ensure staff compliance with all relevant policies, regulations, and certification requirements.”
It adds that should a program participants’ credentials be falsified, the agency can suspend their certifications until they are up-to-date.
AGLC confirmed to CBC News that the account associated with Phoebe’s certification was cancelled on Oct. 21.
Day said the COVID-19 pandemic and the shift to online changed training processes quite a bit.
“Everyone [needed] to find a way to effectively get training out to the masses of individuals,” Day said. “We need to make sure it’s done in a way that identifies the individual, ensures that they are the ones participating and not some sort of AI tool.”
Phoebe received the same certification from AGLC in 2024, according to Cognisense. When notified, AGLC refunded her fee and cited an LMS transition as the reason for the unverified test, a press release said.
AMA pushes back
Cognisese said Phoebe also successfully obtained an Alberta defensive‑driving certificate through an online Alberta Motor Association (AMA) course. The certificate is a step towards getting up to three demerit points removed off an individual’s licence.
AMA told CBC News in an emailed statement that it was first made aware of the situation by Cognisense, “a company that deliberately created a false profile to complete an online Demerit Reduction course with the admitted purpose of wanting to sell us their commercial product.”
“To be clear: no dog received a demerit reduction,” AMA said.
“Completing the course does not result in automatic demerit reduction — the certificate must be officially validated in-person and match against a valid driver’s licence.”
AMA added that any claim that the Demerit Reduction Online Course alone results in demerit reduction or that the process lacks an identity verification component is entirely false.
While many online certifications do have a verification component, for those that don’t, Day stressed the importance of upping the standard so that real people are receiving the training that’s necessary to keep themselves and others safe.
Steve Sullivan, CEO of Mothers Against Drunk Driving Canada, said “If AI is being used to circumvent this training, we risk giving certifications to unqualified servers and putting impaired drivers on our roads,” in a press release.
“Governments must ensure that standards for training providers are strengthened, and safeguards are in place to ensure that those who have purported to have completed the training have done so through their own efforts.
“The integrity of this system is essential to protecting lives.”
