Artificial intelligence at the forefront of Ottawa business expansion

AI video-intelligence company Solink announced it would be expanding its Ottawa-based headquarters. CTV’s Natalie van Rooy reports.

An artificial intelligence company based in Kanata says it is expanding to address the growing prevalence of the technology, but the announcement comes as some question what effect AI will have on jobs in the country.

Solink develops software that flags potential criminal behaviour to businesses and announced Thursday that it would be adding more jobs and office spaces at its Ottawa-based headquarters.

While most imagine surveillance videos being watched by security guards, with Solink’s new tech, it is actually artificial intelligence seeing it all.

“It allows us to punch above our weight,” said Chris McCluskey, a Tim Hortons franchise owner that uses Solink’s video surveillance technology.

“The technology gives tools to our employees to better do their job, to help them make decisions, and to be more independent in their decision making.”

McCluskey uses the platform to analyze surveillance video and monitor for criminal behaviour at multiple Tim Hortons locations.

“From a loss prevention perspective, if we have some bad actors that are attempting to do bad stuff in our restaurants that can let us know,” said McCluskey.

“It’s not about replacing jobs, it’s really about augmenting the job,” said Christopher Sisto, vice president of product at Solink.

The business says there’s global demand for the technology to help solve crime and improve operations through security camera data.

“I can have a security guard sitting there looking at hundreds and hundreds of cameras or I can actually have the AI leverage those most important moments and bubble them up,” said Sisto.

However, there are still concerns about whether AI will ultimately replace human workers.

“The history of technology is that technologies usually create more jobs than they displace,” said Evan Solomon, federal minister of artificial intelligence and digital innovation.

For McCluskey, he says the technology will not result in job losses at his locations.

“It doesn’t replace staff, it just empowers our staff with more tools to do their job,” he said.

McCluskey says its not just Tim Hortons that’s using their product –– the technology is used in 60 countries at more than 35,000 locations across the world.

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