Canada rolls out C$2 billion AI plan to build compute, keep talent

Canada has released a national AI strategy that commits more than C$2 billion over the next decade to expand computing capacity, boost AI use in business and government, and train workers. Prime Minister Mark Carney framed the plan as part of a push to protect Canadian sovereignty by reducing reliance on foreign providers for data storage and infrastructure. The strategy calls for a public supercomputer for researchers and businesses, support for large-scale AI data centers by 2030, and fellowships and university research chairs to slow the flow of Canadian talent to the United States. Ottawa also plans to invest C$500 million in Canadian AI companies and says wider adoption could create 250,000 jobs, though it does not estimate how many positions could be displaced.