Feds launch AI compute strategy

The federal government has unveiled its “Canadian Sovereign AI Compute Strategy,” which includes funding for developing and providing access to the technology that powers artificial intelligence. The money was initially announced in the 2024 budget. The government will spend up to $2 billion to meet a trio of objectives. A timeline for the spending was not provided with the announcement. Up to $1 billion will be spent building public computing infrastructure for researchers, government, and industry. That spending includes “a large sovereign supercomputing facility will be established that supports researchers and a cross-section of industry and will exponentially increase the compute power currently available in Canada,” according to the government. There is also to be $700 million for leveraging investments in new or expanded data centres and $300 million is earmarked for affordable access to compute power for small- and medium-sized businesses. “The strategy we’re announcing today is a major step toward securing Canada’s place as a global AI leader,” Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry François-Philippe Champagne said in a statement. “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.” Following the launch of the strategy, the government on Friday announced an investment of up to $240 million for Toronto-based Cohere, a company founded in 2019 that specializes in generative AI and large language models. The money is meant to help Cohere secure private capital to "incentivize its strategic parnters" as it builds a multi-billion-dollar AI centre in Canada, the government said in a press release. "The new AI data centre will come online in 2025 and enable Cohere, and other firms across Canada’s thriving AI ecosystem, to access the domestic compute capacity they need to build the next generation of AI solutions here at home," the release stated. READ MORE: - Champagne announces launch of Canadian AI Safety Institute - Coordinated effort is ‘essential’ in tackling AI policy issues, says Canadian Digital Regulators Forum - Competition summit hears regulation, keeping talent at home are key to Canada’s standing on artificial intelligence Over the summer, the government consulted Canadians on the AI compute strategy and received over 1,000 submissions. It is responding legislatively through the Artificial Intelligence and Data Act (AIDA), also known as Bill C-27, and through the voluntary code of conduct on the responsible development and management of advanced generative AI systems. There were more than 140,000 AI workers in Canada in 2022-23, a jump of 29 per cent from the previous year, according to a news release from the government. In 2022-23, the number of AI patents filed by Canadians increased by 57 per cent in a year, exceeding the G7 average of 23 per cent in the same period, according to the same Canadian government statement, which also noted the national AI sector drew over $8.6 billion in venture capital in 2022, making up about 30 per cent of all Canadian v.c. spending. news@thewirereport.ca

Feds launch AI compute strategy

Regulatory |
By Wire Report Staff
| December 5, 2024

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By Wire Report Staff
| December 5, 2024