Spotlight on Artificial Intelligence

Yoshua Bengio

Director

Montreal Institute for Learning Algorithms

Cameron Schuler

Executive Director

Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute

Published on April 10, 2018

Watch and Read the Experts’ Full Interviews:

AI Will Impact the Canadian Economy Across all Sectors Yoshua Bengio Director Montreal Institute for Learning Algorithms
Academia-Industry Partnerships are the Foundation of Canada’s AI Ecosystem Cameron Schuler Executive Director Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute
The World Over, People Think of Canada When they Think of AI Tomi Poutanen Chief AI Officer TD Bank
AI Entrepreneurship: Canada must aim for gold Hassan Murad Co-Founder & CEO Intuitive

Artificial intelligence will be hugely disruptive for the Canadian and global economies. And Canada has already proven itself as an international leader in terms of research, talent, disruptive AI startups and eye-catching investments from global tech giants.

This Spotlight will explore how the Canadian AI sector is developing and what its ecosystem of top-notch researchers, talent and companies see for the sector’s future. It will also cover the key issue of policy’s role in shaping the sector and its applications going forward.

Key Takeaways & Calls to Action

Canada needs a Pan-Canadian supercluster solely focused on the development of AI technologies and their application to all sectors of the Canadian economy, not just on one industry at a time.
Academia is attracting and developing the AI talent that industry is looking for. Therefore, partnerships between academia and industry are effectively driving both AI innovation and commercialization.
Many more established Canadian businesses must build their own AI capabilities or partner with Canadian AI companies to stay relevant in Canada’s future economy.
Canada is performing exceptionally in the field of AI research, but it is now time to commercialize some of the technologies developed in our labs. Private and public investors as well as universities should support incubators, which take research to the next level.

About the Experts

Yoshua Bengio is Founder and Scientific Advisor of Mila, the Quebec Artificial Intelligence Institute, where he guides research in deep learning and supports the advancement of responsible AI. A professor at Université de Montréal and a Turing Award laureate, he is widely recognized as a pioneer in modern artificial intelligence.

Mila is a leading artificial intelligence research institute based in Montreal, Canada.
It brings together researchers and industry partners to advance deep learning and promote the responsible development of AI technologies.

Yoshua Bengio Montreal Institute for Learning Algorithms
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Cameron Schuler is Executive Director of the Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute (Amii), where he leads efforts to advance artificial intelligence research, commercialization, and adoption. He works with academic, industry, and government partners to support innovation, talent development, and the responsible deployment of AI technologies across sectors.

The Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute (Amii) is a Canadian AI research and innovation hub.
It collaborates with academia, industry, and government to advance machine learning research and accelerate real-world AI adoption.

Cameron Schuler Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute
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Tomi Poutanen is Chief AI Officer at TD Bank, where he leads the bank’s enterprise artificial intelligence strategy, governance, and deployment. He focuses on scaling responsible AI to enhance customer experience, strengthen risk management, and improve operational efficiency across TD’s North American banking and financial services operations.

TD Bank (Toronto-Dominion Bank) is a major North American financial institution providing a wide range of banking and financial services.
It serves millions of customers through personal and commercial banking, wealth management, and capital markets businesses across Canada and the United States.

Tomi Poutanen TD Bank
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Hassan Murad is Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Intuitive AI, where he leads the company’s mission to advance AI-powered solutions that improve waste management and promote sustainable practices. He has a background in robotics and engineering, and has been involved in developing AI systems that enhance recycling accuracy and support zero-waste initiatives.

Intuitive AI is a technology company focused on artificial intelligence solutions for waste management and sustainability.
Its platform uses computer vision and data analytics to improve recycling behavior and help organizations reduce contamination and environmental impact.

Hassan Murad Intuitive
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