Canada has released its first national AI strategy: AI for All. The country has long been a leader in AI research but lags significantly when it comes to adoption.

The countries who benefit the most from AI are not necessarily those who invent it, but those that are able to diffuse it across their economies, workforces, and SMEs. Canada currently ranks 44 out of 47 countries in AI training and literacy, according to the KPMG-University of Melbourne global trust study. Through the new strategy, Canada seeks to change that.

The strategy is organized around six pillars:

• Protecting Canadians and safeguarding democracy;
• Ensuring AI empowers Canadians
• Powering shared prosperity;
• Building the Canadian sovereign AI foundation; and
• Building and scaling Canadian AI champions.

It recognizes Canada’s AI adoption rate of just 12 per cent and aims to increase it to 60 per cent by 2034, bringing the country more in line with India, Singapore, and the UAE where adoption is at or above 50 per cent. To do this, the government aims to focus on AI literacy through a National AI Literacy Initiative, targeting kindergarten – grade 12 students, teachers, and entry-level post-secondary students.

The strategy focuses on creating jobs through AI and upskilling the workforce. It aims to create 250,000 jobs by 2031, and 90,000 AI-related jobs and workplace opportunities for young Canadians. It commits to scaling employer-led upskilling, with post-secondary institutions positioned as applied AI delivery partners. It looks to support workers at all stages of their careers, from equipping students with the skills needed to enter the workforce, mid-career workers with pathways and reskilling opportunities as roles evolve, and training for frontline workers.

To support SMEs, the strategy commits to financing programs that will help Canadian businesses scale. It aims to create workforce alliances in key sectors such as healthcare, energy, and manufacturing to identify skills gaps and later creating training programs for workers to address those needs.

Canada also commits to deploying an open-source AI model, developed in the public interest with like-minded countries, local AI institutes, researchers, civil society, industry, and global open-source organizations. Open-source AI accelerates adoption by offering more affordable and easier to deploy options, thereby lowering discovery and use barriers. It will seek to limit dependency and vendor lock-in, while strengthening transparency.

To make adoption possible, Canada is focusing on trust and safety. To do this, the government commits to putting forward legislation to modernize its consumer privacy laws and introducing online safety laws in alignment with international standards. Lastly, the Canadian government seeks to lead by example by transforming public service delivery with AI and acting as an early adopter.

By prioritizing AI diffusion, scaling the workforce, and investing in SMEs, Canada will catch up to those leading in adoption and realize the economic benefits of AI across its economy.

Find Canada’s national AI strategy here.