Canada is a leader in AI research, but a laggard in adoption: minister

Evan Solomon, Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation, joins BNN Bloomberg to discuss AI and digital innovation on Canada's tech future.

In the race to develop and disseminate artificial intelligence (AI) technology, Canada is a world leader when it comes to research, but a laggard in terms of adoption, says Canada’s new AI minister.

“Canada’s leading in our frontier research on AI and Canadians should know that – we have some of the best researchers,” Evan Solomon, Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation, told BNN Bloomberg in a Monday interview.

“We have pioneering frontier AI research, and we have some of the best companies in the world, but Canadians and Canadian companies are lagging on adoption; using AI to drive productivity and to drive growth.”

Solomon said the reason for AI hesitancy amongst many Canadian business owners may be due to a lack of tangible evidence showing the technology’s impact on overall profitability, though attitudes may be starting to shift, he noted.

“They’re not sure how it will address the bottom line; Canadians like to see the proof. (But) now they recognize, and I think you’re seeing accelerated rates of adoption, this is a new tool in the toolbelt to drive service and to help customers, and government are realizing the same thing,” he said.

Solomon, the former broadcaster serving his first term in public office after being elected as a Liberal member of parliament in the 2025 federal election, added that although the regulation of AI presents unprecedented challenges for lawmakers, progress continues to be made on that front.

“I think we should be careful about saying it’s either going to be regulated, like let’s try to put a saddle on the horse, or let’s just let it run wild, because there’s lots of room in between the two,” he said.

“For example, a lot of our existing regulations already work… but we will be making sure that you can protect Canadians’ data and can protect their privacy.”

Solomon said that the regulation of such transformative technology is a tough balancing act for any government, as regulations that are needlessly heavy-handed could stifle innovation. But he also acknowledged the negative risks posed by AI if bad actors aren’t kept in check.

“That’s tricky… we’re not sure yet the best way to do that but it doesn’t mean it’s impossible, there’s lots of regulations in Europe and here in Canada on people’s data and people’s privacy (which) are the most important things,” he explained.

“So, companies that are using AI; rest assured that consumers know that their data is being protected, it’s not the wild west out there, but our imperative as a government is to build a sovereign and secure AI infrastructure.”

Solomon’s ministerial portfolio is new; created by Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government following his electoral victory in April. Carney and the Liberal Party platform advocate for increased AI adoption in many areas and its use in the “economy of the future.”

The federal government intends to prioritize the building out of what Solomon called Canada’s “digital backbone,” which includes secure cloud computing and data centres across the country.

Solomon said Canadian companies need to be open minded about embracing AI to keep up with competitors around the globe, comparing this moment to other massive technological disruptions of the past, such as the advent of the internet or the printing press.

“I’ve called this a Gutenberg moment, like when the invention of the printing press happened, and that coincided with the reformation and a big political time, and things change,” he said.

“Many people watching have lived through the first great upheaval; the internet, where we turned information from a scares resource into an abundant resource… now we’re not just transforming information, we’re transforming knowledge.”