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The global AI technology market is projected to grow to nearly USD 2 trillion by 2030. Canada has been a leader in AI, from scientific research and discoveries to a robust AI talent market and a vibrant AI start-up community. The federal government has also been key partner, having generously funded scientific AI research dating back a few decades ago, establishing Pan-Canadian Artificial Intelligence Strategy in 2017, and most recently, making a commitment to invest CAD 2.4 billion over the next 5 years to support the AI sector.

These developments notwithstanding, Canada faces several key obstacles in unlocking the potential of our AI ecosystem. The obstacles include historically low technology adoption by our private and public organizations, a declining trend in private sector investment in R&D, inadequate computing infrastructure and guardrails, and loss of appropriation of intellectual property.

These issues raise an important national challenge: how can industry action and government policy enhance the scaling of AI innovations, and do so responsibly, thereby enabling Canada to sustain its early advantage in AI amidst fierce global competition?

To tackle this overarching challenge, the Lawrence National Centre (LNC) is convening leading policy experts, business executives and thought leaders at this AI Symposium.

Themes of Discussion

  • The role of innovation in improving productivity and ensuring our prosperity;
  • Potential sectoral impacts of AI innovations and opportunities for Canadian businesses;
  • Key challenges inhibiting Canadian AI start-ups to grow and become global leaders;
  • Changing capital market conditions and their implications for scaling AI innovations; and,
  • Identifying actionable policy ideas to enhance Canada’s competitive advantage in AI.

Through an interwoven set of discussions, the Symposium aims to distill a few tangible strategies and policy recommendations that Canada can and should do, and drive action from businesses, governments and other key stakeholders.

AI Symposium

Lunch
11:30 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.

Symposium
12:15 - 5:30 p.m.

Reception
5:30 - 6:30 p.m.

Agenda

Speakers

Stephen Poloz

Stephen Poloz
Former Governor, Bank of Canada; Chair, LNC Advisory Council

Sharon Hodgson

Sharon Hodgson
Dean, Ivey Business School

Blake Goldring

Blake Goldring
Executive Chairman, AGF; LNC Advisory Council

Janet Bannister

Janet Bannister
Founder & Managing Partner, Staircase Ventures

Christine Allen Colour

Dr. Christine Allen
Professor; Co-Founder and CEO, Intrepid Labs

Sam Sebastian

Sam Sebastian
VP & Country Manager, Google Cloud

Meghna Singh

Meghna Singh
Managing Director, Head of Strategy & Innovation, AIMCo

Mark Schaan

Mark Schaan
Senior Assistant Deputy Minister, ISED

Jen Edit

Jenny Yang
Senior Advisor, MaRS
Enterprise

Joel Martin

Dr. Joel Martin
Chief Digital Research Officer and Science Advisor, National Research Council Canada

Alison Loat

Alison Loat
Senior Managing Director, OP Trust

Kar Edit

Karthik Ramakrishnan
Co-Founder and CEO, Armilla AI

Eduard Van Gelderen

Eduard van Gelderen
SVP and CIO, PSP Investments

Richard Nathan

Richard Nathan
Senior Managing Director, Kensington Capital Partners Limited

Salim Teja

Salim Teja
Partner, Radical Ventures

Ramtin Attar

Ramtin Attar
Co-Founder & CEO, Promise Robotics

Richard Black

Richard Black
Managing Partner, First Ascent Ventures

Darren Meister

Darren Meister
Professor, Ivey Business School

Mahmood Nanji

Mahmood Nanji
Power Corporation of Canada Policy Fellow, LNC

Romel Mostafa

Romel Mostafa
Professor & Director, LNC

With generous support from:

Power Corporation of Canada

Jack Lawrence Family

Mitchell and Kathryn Baran Family Foundation

About Lawrence National Centre for Policy & Management

The only leading policy research centre within a top Canadian business school, the Lawrence National Centre (LNC) engages governments, businesses, academia, and communities to advocate for sound policy that will ensure a powerful future for Canada. Its evidence-based policy research, education and outreach programs focuses on critical issues on innovation, human capital and trade that are fundamental to enhancing Canada’s competitive advantage on the global stage.

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