Matthew da Mota
Research Director
Emerging Technology and National Security
The Canadian Shield Institute for Public Policy
About
Matthew is Research Director, Emerging Technology and National Security at the Canadian Shield Institute. His research examines how emerging technologies and shifting geopolitical dynamics reshape governance, knowledge, and sovereignty — with a particular focus on the national security implications of AI and digital infrastructure.
Matthew previously held a post-doctoral fellowship jointly between the Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI) Digital Policy Hub and the University of Toronto's Media Ethics Lab, where he studied AI's transformation of research and knowledge production. Prior to that, he worked at CIGI's Digital Policy Hub on international AI governance and security. His Ph.D. research examined the relationship between historical narrative, written evidence, and political power.
Research Interests
- Emerging Technology
- National Security
- Information Operations
Recent Publications
- Colonel Adam Moore and Matthew da Mota, “Navigation by Sextant & Astrocompass: A CAF Approach for AI Adoption,” Canadian Military Journal, forthcoming 2026.
- Matthew da Mota and Shirley Anne Scharf, “Move Deliberately and Build Things: A Framework for Trustworthy Adoption of Artificial Intelligence in Canadian Public Services,” Canadian Public Policy, AI Special Issue, Volume 52 Issue S1, April 2026, https://utppublishing.com/doi/10.3138/cpp.2025-013.
- Matthew da Mota and Laurent Carbonneau, “Building a Canadian Dual-Use Industrial Commons,” The Centre for Industrial Policy, Apr 23, 2026, https://centreforindustrialpolicy.ca/brief/building-a-canadian-dual-use-industrial-commons/.
- Matthew da Mota, “Arctic Fever: Canada’s Ambitions in the North,” Open Canada Magazine, Apr 8, 2026.
- Duncan Cass-Beggs and Matthew da Mota, “AI National Security Scenarios,” CIGI Online report, Feb 6, 2026, https://www.cigionline.org/publications/ai-national-security-scenarios/.
Online
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-da-mota-28017938/
- Substack: https://substack.com/@damotam1
- Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/damotam.bsky.social