Canada is poised to drive billions of dollars in investments to build its domestic artificial intelligence (AI) compute capacity, a crucial step towards securing its AI advantage.
The Canadian Sovereign AI Compute Strategy, launched by Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry François-Philippe Champagne, will invest up to $2 billion to meet three key objectives: growing Canadian AI champions, building transformational public computing infrastructure, and providing affordable access to compute power for small and medium-sized enterprises.
“The strategy we’re announcing today is a major step toward securing Canada’s place as a global AI leader. We’re proud to be a driving force in the worldwide ecosystem, and by increasing access to domestic and secure compute capacity, we will help businesses, innovators and researchers boost the Canadian economy and stand out on the world stage. This is about Canada showing its ambition, supporting Canadian innovation and investing in the economy of the future.”
The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry
This strategy aims to ensure Canadian businesses, innovators, and researchers have access to the compute capacity needed to develop made-in-Canada AI products and drive frontier research. By increasing access to domestic and secure computing capacity, Canada hopes to fuel its economy in the future and remain a destination of choice for investment and top talent.
Building Canada’s AI Compute Capacity at Home
Canada has officially launched its Canadian Sovereign AI Compute Strategy, a comprehensive plan to invest up to $2 billion in cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure. This strategy aims to strengthen Canada’s AI advantage by providing researchers and industries with access to the compute capacity they need to develop made-in-Canada AI products and drive frontier research.
The strategy is divided into three key objectives: growing Canadian AI champions, building transformational public computing infrastructure, and providing affordable access to compute power for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Up to $700 million will be invested in new or expanded data centres through the AI Compute Challenge, while up to $1 billion will be allocated to build large sovereign supercomputing infrastructure as well as a smaller secure computing facility. Additionally, up to $300 million will go towards the AI Compute Access Fund to support the purchase of AI compute resources by Canadian innovators, businesses, and industry.
This investment is crucial for securing Canada’s place as a global AI leader. By increasing access to domestic and secure compute capacity, Canada aims to help businesses, innovators, and researchers boost the economy and stand out on the world stage. The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, emphasized that this strategy is a major step towards securing Canada’s place as a global AI leader.
The Importance of Compute Capacity in AI Development
Compute capacity is the backbone of artificial intelligence technology, powering the development of cutting-edge AI solutions across all sectors of the economy. Access to cutting-edge compute infrastructure is crucial for researchers and industries to thrive, driving innovation and economic growth. Canada’s commitment to building a strong and secure AI compute capacity will fuel the economy of the future.
The public consultations on the Canadian Sovereign AI Compute Strategy received input from over 1,000 stakeholders from research, industry, and civil society, highlighting the importance of compute capacity in AI development. The Government of Canada is supporting the responsible development and adoption of AI across the Canadian economy through a suite of measures, including the Canadian Artificial Intelligence Safety Institute, the Artificial Intelligence and Data Act (Bill C-27), and the Voluntary Code of Conduct on the Responsible Development and Management of Advanced Generative AI Systems.
Canada’s Thriving AI Sector
Canada’s AI sector is a key job creator and driver of productivity, innovation, and economic growth. In 2022-23, there were over 140,000 actively engaged AI professionals in Canada, an increase of 29% compared to the previous year. Canada has 10% of the world’s top-tier AI researchers, ranking second globally. The country also ranks first globally for year-over-year growth of women in AI (67% growth in 2022-23 alone), first in the G7 for year-over-year growth of AI talent, and, since 2019, first in the G7 for the number of AI-related papers published per capita.
The number of AI patents filed by Canadian inventors increased by 57% in 2022-23 compared to the previous year, nearly three times the G7 average. In 2022, the Canadian AI sector attracted over $8.6 billion in venture capital, accounting for nearly 30% of all venture capital activity in Canada. Canada ranks third in the G7 in total funding per capita raised for AI companies, with more than 670 Canadian AI start-ups and 30 Canadian generative AI companies receiving at least one investment deal valued at more than US$1 million since 2019.
Securing Canada’s AI Advantage
The Canadian Sovereign AI Compute Strategy is a crucial step towards securing Canada’s place as a global AI leader. By investing in cutting-edge AI infrastructure, Canada aims to provide researchers and industries with the compute capacity they need to drive innovation and economic growth. This investment will help boost the economy and secure Canada’s position as a key player in the global AI landscape.
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