Trudeau announces $2.4 billion for AI-related investments

OTTAWA – The Liberal government is setting aside $2.4 billion in its upcoming budget to build capacity in artificial intelligence, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (pictured) announced. The bulk of that – $2 billion – is going into a fund that will aim to provide access to computing capabilities and technical infrastructure.

Trudeau made the announcement in Montreal as part of a pre-budget tour. He said the federal government will begin consulting with industry soon on a new AI Compute Access Fund and an accompanying strategy to expand the sector in Canada.

“We want to help companies adopt AI in a way that will have positive impacts for everyone,” Trudeau said, adding that $200 million will go toward boosting the adoption of AI in sectors like agriculture, healthcare and clean technology.

The government plans to launch a $50-million AI safety institute to protect against what it calls “advanced or nefarious AI systems,” and another $5.1 million will go toward an office of the AI and Data Commissioner to enforce the proposed Artificial Intelligence and Data Act.

Bill C-27 is the first federal legislation specifically aimed at artificial intelligence. It would update privacy laws and introduce new obligations for “high-impact” systems.

The proposed law has been studied at committee since September 2023.

Innovation, Science and Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne said Canada is a world leader in AI. “Let’s stop asking what AI will do to us, and why don’t we start asking what we want AI to do for us,” he said.

In more detail, the new AI program will include:

• Investing $2 billion to build and provide access to computing capabilities and technological infrastructure for Canada’s world-leading AI researchers, start-ups, and scale-ups. As part of this investment, the government will soon consult with AI stakeholders to inform the launch of a new AI Compute Access Fund to provide near-term support to researchers and industry. It will also develop a new Canadian AI Sovereign Compute Strategy to catalyze the development of Canadian-owned and located AI infrastructure. Ensuring access to cutting-edge computing infrastructure will attract more global AI investment to Canada, develop and recruit the best talent, and help Canadian businesses compete and succeed on the world stage.
• Boosting AI start-ups to bring new technologies to market, and accelerating AI adoption in critical sectors, such as agriculture, clean technology, healthcare, and manufacturing, with $200 million in support through Canada’s Regional Development Agencies.
• Investing $100 million in the NRC IRAP AI Assist Program to help small and medium-sized businesses scale up and increase productivity by building and deploying new AI solutions. This will help companies incorporate AI into their businesses and take on research, product development, testing, and validation work for new AI-based solutions.
• Supporting workers who may be impacted by AI, such as creative industries, with $50 million for the Sectoral Workforce Solutions Program, which will provide new skills training for workers in potentially disrupted sectors and communities.
• Creating a new Canadian AI Safety Institute, with $50 million to further the safe development and deployment of AI. The Institute, which will leverage input from stakeholders and work in coordination with international partners, will help Canada better understand and protect against the risks of advanced or nefarious AI systems, including to specific communities.
• Strengthening enforcement of the Artificial Intelligence and Data Act, with $5.1 million for the Office of the AI and Data Commissioner. The proposed Act aims to guide AI innovation in a positive direction to help ensure Canadians are protected from potential risks by ensuring the responsible adoption of AI by Canadian businesses.

“AI has the potential to transform the economy. And our potential lies in capitalizing on the undeniable Canadian advantage. These investments in Budget 2024 will help harness the full potential of AI so Canadians, and especially young Canadians, can get good-paying jobs while raising our productivity, and growing our economy. This announcement is a major investment in our future, in the future of workers, in making sure that every industry, and every generation, has the tools to succeed and prosper in the economy of tomorrow,” Trudeau said.