Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has laid-out an expansive fiye-year strategy that focuses on inducing AI technologies within its industrial and financial ecosystems. On Thursday, Carney said, Canada is among the slowest countries to have adopted AI at scale which he intends to change by 2031. Concerns around a possible AI talent exodus from the country emerged among key factors why Canada finally decided to pull up its socks with its first step forward.
Canada is eyeing an economic growth of $200 billion and a market of over 250,000 AI-related jobs within the next five years. Implementing the “AI for All” strategy will play a key role in hitting these targets. By 2034, the country aims to take its AI adoption from 12 percent as of now to 60 percent.
“With the global AI market projected to reach U.S.$4.8 trillion by 2033, Canada has a limited but real opportunity to ensure AI works for all Canadians,” the announcement from the Prime Minister office said on Thursday. “The strategy will provide up to 90,000 AI-related jobs and work placement opportunities for young Canadians and make our industries more competitive in the global economy.”
Canada installs six pillars to drive AI adoption
From engineers, technicians, and bankers to home-makers and students — AI is coming in handy across work fields. In the last few years, companies like OpenAI, Google, X, Anthropic, and Perplexity among others have put generative AI in the hands of global citizens of all age groups.
Canada has taken into account the different kinds of AI-related grievances that have risen in other parts of the world to finalize the core pillars of its strategy.
- Safeguarding nationals: In order to allow AI to infuse into its existing industrial, financial, educational, and societal frameworks, Canada plans to work on developing more advanced security provisions and online safety laws. It has identified that the government system security needs to mature at the same pace as AI to defend against national level cyber threats.
- AI skill trainings: Canada will be focussing on AI training initiatives at educational and professional levels to make its nationals ready with the required skills to handle and utilize the technology. The government believes that only through proper skill training will Canadians be able to well-represent their culture and voices to the evolving AI fabric.
- AI for businesses: As per government numbers, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) dominate the Canadian economy, accounting for 99.7 percent of all employer businesses nationally.As part of its AI strategy, Canada will be focussing on integrating the AI tech into its SMEs network. The development of in-house industrial AI technologies will be prioritized to knit a pro-worker economy.
- Scaling homegrown AI: China, U.S., Japan, and South Korea are among nations that are making strides in cultivating more advanced versions of AI on a daily basis. Tapping into these foreign-made technologies could put national security under risk. Canada has decided to push for independence in creating its own AI tools for national use.
- Fueling native AI companies: Canada-based AI companies will get the rgeulatory and government support to scale their R&D as well as operations. The aim is to fuel these firms to grow and expand internationally.
- Partnering leaders in the sector: At present, the international standards on AI are still in the process of being drafted. To be able to rightfully contribute to these developments, Canada will be forging partnerships with leaders in the AI space to get better understanding of the technology.
Through a clear roadmap, Canada hopes to allow AI to breathe and thrive in the country, while keeping the best interest of sects like the minors safeguarded against risks.
The country, in the course of the five years, expects to get a better understanding on AI risk mitigation and possible data protection techniques.
The official statement revealed that last year, over 11,000 Canadians joined forces with 28 AI strategy task force members to hold consultations and idea-sharing sessions to give shape to what the nation’s AI adoption strategy could look like.
