The Future Is Now: Preparing Canada for the Artificial Intelligence Age

This May, the Diversity Institute in partnership with Memorial University of Newfoundland, hosted “Artificial Intelligence (AI), Remote Work, & Productivity: An International Conference.” Supported by the SSHRC Connection Grant, Bridging Divides Research Program and the Future Skills Centre (external link)  (FSC), the event took place in St. John’s and drew over 150 in-person attendees and more online. On the first day of the conference, experts from across sectors explored how artificial intelligence, inclusive innovation and targeted upskilling can help close Canada’s productivity and adoption gaps.

Day two of the conference featured a session that delved into pressing debates on emerging technologies, highlighting both the opportunities and challenges AI brings to industry. Moderated by Alex Stephens, Associate Director of Research & Evaluation at FSC, the session brought together leaders charting the path forward in a rapidly changing digital economy.

Namir Anani, President and CEO of the Information and Communications Technology Council, discussed AI’s disruptive impact and Canada's urgent need to invest and regulate wisely. He highlighted AI’s transformative applications—from expediting clinical trials to revolutionizing manufacturing—and warned that Canada risks falling behind without strategic action. Drawing comparisons to global AI investments, Anani noted Canada's $2.5 billion pales against initiatives like France’s $109 billion. “Ultimately, AI is creating this industrial supremacy, and we really need to be in that space,” he urged. Anani emphasized the importance of research and development tied to industrial priorities and called for more prescriptive regulations to ensure the responsible deployment of AI across sectors.

Meanwhile, Elysa Darling, Chief of Staff at Canada’s Digital Supercluster, emphasized the importance of keeping Canadian innovation at home. She highlighted efforts to prevent the sell-off of homegrown intellectual property and bridge funding gaps by supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) through market-driven, non-dilutive funding models. Darling noted challenges with domestic tech adoption. “We have AI-deployed technologies in 96 countries around the world… but we’re not in every province,” she said, underscoring the need for Canada to back its own innovators and “pick Team Canada.”

This adoption gap is also seen in the workplace. A report by the DI in partnership with the Environics Institute (external link)  and FSC highlights the growing gap between employees and employers when it comes to AI adoption in the workplace. While employees are already using AI tools—often without guidance—many employers have yet to implement clear policies or training. The findings underscore the urgent need for workplace AI literacy— to reduce fear and misinformation and to support effective adoption. With employees increasingly pursuing self-guided learning, the report calls for employers to catch up and take proactive steps to ensure Canada remains a leader in the global AI landscape.

Mark Patterson, CEO of Magnet, urged Canadians to confront the “exponential rate of change” driven by AI. He highlighted the emergence of “physical AI” like humanoid robots already deployed in manufacturing and cautioned that technologies once imagined years away are arriving rapidly.

Patterson highlighted a need for a shift in educational institutions. “We are not helping our students if we think that our role is protecting them from AI,” he said. Patterson said that AI is changing the labour market because it’s eliminating easy tasks that would usually be assigned to entry-level workers, highlighting that sheltering students from AI will actually not prepare graduating students for the labour market. Instead, he advocated integrating AI tools across all disciplines. For SMEs, he proposed a national, secure digital infrastructure to remove compliance burdens and enable safe experimentation. Without support, he said, many businesses risk falling into long-term decline.

Rushmi Hasham, Director at Rogers Cybersecure Catalyst, warned that AI adoption without cybersecurity readiness poses major risks. She highlighted how AI systems expand threat surfaces, citing deep fake scams, AI-powered phishing and polymorphic malware that “ingested its own code in real time to avoid detection.” She emphasized that AI and cybersecurity are deeply intertwined and that many Canadian organizations lack the capability to adopt AI securely.

Hasham pointed to a growing talent gap, stressing the need for professionals who can embed cybersecurity into AI systems and translate AI insights into action. “It is a serpent inside. You can’t find it because it’s just mutating,” she said, describing the next wave of cyber threats. She highlighted the Rogers Cybersecure Catalyst training programs, which equip mid-career professionals from all backgrounds with the skills to fill these critical roles.

Together, the panel offered a forward-looking view of Canada’s place in the AI economy. From the need for stronger infrastructure and regulation, to supporting homegrown innovation and securing digital systems, each speaker underscored the urgency of action. As Stephens said, the conversation revealed both the risks and the potential of this moment. Ensuring Canada’s leadership in the AI era will depend not just on invention, but on bold adoption, secure implementation and a national commitment to scaling what Canada builds.