Canada has launched a national AI strategy committing more than C$2bn to boost AI literacy, build secure computing capacity and retain talent. Key measures include a proposed public supercomputer, C$500m in investment for domestic AI firms and targets to lift business AI adoption from 12% to 60% by 2034. The plan allocates C$200m for healthcare AI and pledges AI literacy training, but it offers limited detail on new safety laws and does not estimate jobs that could be lost to automation.
Canada Unveils C$2bn AI Strategy: Public Supercomputer, Talent Retention and a Push to Scale Adoption
[Reuters]
Canada has published its long-awaited national artificial intelligence (AI) strategy, committing more than C$2 billion (about $1.4bn; £1bn) to boost AI literacy, strengthen computing capacity and encourage adoption by businesses and public services over the next decade.
Overview
Unveiled by Prime Minister Mark Carney, the strategy arrives amid growing public concern about privacy, safety and the future of work. Carney said the arrival of AI is unavoidable:
The plan combines investments in infrastructure, talent and adoption with measures the government says will protect Canada’s digital sovereignty."It is already changing how we work, how we learn, and how we connect."
Sovereignty and Infrastructure
Protecting national sovereignty is a central aim. The strategy highlights Canada's current reliance on foreign infrastructure and data storage and proposes steps to reduce that dependence. Among the measures are plans for a "world-leading" public supercomputer — secure and accessible to Canadian researchers and firms — and support for large-scale AI data centres in Canada. The government aims to significantly increase computing capacity by 2030.
Talent, Research and Investment
To address brain drain to the United States, Ottawa will fund research fellowships, increase the number of AI-focused university research chairs and offer accelerated immigration pathways and permanent residency for highly skilled AI workers. The strategy also includes C$500m in financing for Canadian AI companies, with the government indicating it may take equity stakes in some firms.
Business Adoption and Jobs
Adoption of AI among Canadian businesses remains low: government data show only 12% used AI between mid-2024 and mid-2025. The strategy sets a target of 60% adoption by 2034 and includes C$500m in financing to help businesses incorporate AI, plus C$50m to support creators using AI "on their own terms." The plan projects that scaling AI across sectors could create 250,000 jobs but does not provide estimates for jobs that may be lost to automation.
Healthcare Priorities
The government singled out health care as a priority use case. With C$200m earmarked for AI-driven health initiatives, Ottawa aims to reduce administrative burdens on clinicians and improve diagnostic support — pointing to examples of AI-assisted diagnostics already in use across many EU countries.
Public Literacy, Trust and Safety
Public opinion is mixed: polling cited in the strategy finds 34% of Canadians see AI as beneficial, 36% consider it harmful, and half regard it as a threat to humanity. The strategy flags low AI literacy and trust as barriers and promises a national AI literacy initiative offering entry-level training to all Canadians, in part via public libraries. Ottawa also said it will introduce new laws to protect consumer privacy and children's safety and modernise online safety rules, though specific legislative details and timelines were not provided.
Recent Safety Concerns and Political Response
Safety became a flashpoint earlier this year after reports that a suspect in a February mass shooting had used ChatGPT to discuss gun violence prior to the attack. OpenAI said it was aware of the user's activity but did not alert law enforcement, prompting an apology from CEO Sam Altman. Canadian officials summoned OpenAI executives and warned of possible legislation if safety protocols were not improved. Conservatives criticised the strategy for lacking concrete safety measures; MP Melissa Lantsman said:
"The safety and security that was promised in this is nowhere to be found in the document, certainly no details."
What’s Missing
While the strategy is comprehensive in scope, it leaves several open questions: it does not quantify potential job losses from AI-driven disruption, provides few specifics on the proposed safety and privacy laws or timelines for implementation, and relies on future investments and partnerships to meet many of its targets.
Overall, the strategy is a clear statement of intent to build domestic capacity and retain talent, but its success will depend on how the government translates funding commitments into concrete infrastructure, regulation and measurable outcomes.
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