Federal Programs Boost AI Adoption for SMBs Across Canada
tl;dr
Two new federal programs will allocate $300 million to enhance AI adoption among small and medium-sized businesses.
The Regional Artificial Intelligence Initiative (RAII) and AI Assist program will provide funding and support for AI technology integration.
Public consultations will inform a new AI Compute Access Fund and Canada’s sovereign compute strategy.
The federal government has launched two programs to promote artificial intelligence (AI) adoption among small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), part of the 2024 budget's $2.4 billion AI package. A total of $300 million is allocated for these initiatives, with $200 million going to the Regional Artificial Intelligence Initiative (RAII). This program, managed by seven regional development agencies, aims to assist SMBs in integrating AI technologies into their operations. Currently, PrairiesCan and FedDev Ontario have announced funding allocations of $33.8 million and $50 million, respectively, while PacifiCan plans to invest $32.2 million, with applications opening on November 18, 2024.
Additionally, the $100 million AI Assist program, administered by the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program, will support SMBs in the research, development, testing, and validation of generative AI and deep learning technologies. The government has also concluded a public consultation on AI computing infrastructure, gathering input from over 1,000 Canadians, which will guide the creation of a new AI Compute Access Fund and Canada’s first sovereign compute strategy. Minister François-Philippe Champagne emphasized the importance of these investments for enhancing Canadian innovation and productivity.
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