Key facts
- Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney launched a national artificial intelligence strategy.
- The strategy aims to reduce Canada's dependence on foreign AI infrastructure suppliers.
- A $360 million Canadian Tech Growth Fund was announced to support AI adoption and startups.
- Concerns were raised about the risks of slow AI adoption and potential foreign dominance.
Prime Minister Mark Carney has unveiled Canada's AI strategy, expressing concerns that the country's slow adoption of frontier artificial intelligence technology poses risks. He warned that a lack of domestic capacity could lead to AI being "weaponised against us." A central tenet of Carney's agenda is to reduce Canada's dependence on foreign suppliers, particularly US tech giants, for the infrastructure that powers AI. This reliance creates significant risks for the nation's technological independence and security. The strategy aims to bolster domestic AI capabilities and foster national champions.
This initiative follows the earlier announcement of a $360 million Canadian Tech Growth Fund, designed to support AI adoption, startups, and skills training, with the potential for government equity stakes in promising AI firms. Carney previously warned about global hegemons like the United States using economic integration to pressure smaller nations.