Why Canada Wants to Build Its Own AI
Artificial Intelligence Minister Evan Solomon says Canada should build its own AI tools instead of renting them from other countries and following their rules.
He says control over AI tools and data must come with growth at home and teamwork with countries that share Canada's values. Canada should not work alone. He spoke at the All In AI conference in Montreal, in remarks reported Sept. 16. The Globe and Mail
The conference also brought news of teamwork between countries. Canada's Mila research institute and Germany's German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence are forming a partnership to work more closely on AI. They will focus on safe AI and its use in important industries such as energy.
Germany's digital minister Karsten Wildberger said shared rules and checks are needed to keep AI safe and leading-edge.
Germany was chosen as the Country of Honour for ALL IN 2026. The event runs Sept. 16-17 in Montréal. ALL IN
Mila also partnered with Giesecke+Devrient to help shape the future of trusted AI. Mila
The broader context here is control over use. If Canada does not build and test AI at home, it has less say over safety rules, how information is handled and terms of access. It is like renting a house. The tenant lives there but follows the owner's rules.
Looking at what this means for Ottawa, the focus on allies points to shared rules rather than Canada acting alone. Safety and use in industry would be settled with partners. Energy is a clear starting point because governments already set rules and buy services there.
In my view, the provinces will shape how far this goes. Ottawa can set direction and sign deals with other countries. But labs, skilled workers and power systems are largely under provincial control. Meeting in Montreal shows that balance.
For teams building AI day to day, talk of working with like-minded countries matters. It points to government buying, safety checks and data rules that fit with allies. The practical question is how to do that without extra paperwork for labs and sellers working in different places.
What to watch now is what gets built. The announcements show plans and research links. Control, as Solomon describes it, will depend on building at home and whether joint rules make it easier for Canadian firms to use safe AI widely.
