Canada is currently navigating the complex landscape of artificial intelligence (AI), with the government working toward a national strategy aimed for implementation by 2026. A federal report titled “Engagements on Canada’s next AI strategy: Summary of inputs” released this week highlights the ideas and tensions involved in this crucial debate. The report serves as a culmination of a 30-day public consultation that took place from October 1 to 31, 2025, along with insights from 32 reports submitted by members of the AI strategy task force.
During this consultation, more than 11,300 submissions were gathered from a diverse array of stakeholders, including individuals and organizations from business, academia, civil society, the arts, and public sectors. Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) has characterized this consultation as the largest public engagement effort in its history, signaling a significant step toward crafting a comprehensive national AI strategy.
The summary presents a broad overview of key themes and feedback, reflecting how Canadians are engaging with the economic, social, and regulatory implications of AI. Benjamin Bergen, CEO of the Canadian Venture Capital and Private Equity Association and a member of the AI strategy task force, noted that the government is framing AI as a broad societal issue rather than merely a technological concern. “The consultation reflects a real effort to understand how AI fits into Canada’s broader economic and public policy landscape,” he stated.
The report categorizes the feedback into focus areas such as research and talent, AI adoption across industries and government, commercialization, and safety and trust, among others. Recurring themes include the need to attract and retain AI talent, the transition from pilot projects to full-scale implementation, and the importance of strengthening Canadian intellectual property and domestic infrastructure. However, concerns also emerged regarding environmental impacts, job displacement, privacy, and dependence on foreign platforms.
Despite the optimism surrounding AI’s potential, skepticism about its risks remains prevalent. Bergen argued that the tension between these viewpoints should not be seen as contradictory but rather indicative of a mature discussion regarding AI in Canada. “That tension is real, and it shouldn’t be seen as a contradiction,” he remarked.
Elena Yunusov, executive director of the Human Feedback Foundation, expressed concerns about what may have been lost in the summary’s formulation. She noted that while reviewing the expert submissions alongside the summary, it appeared that more nuanced ideas were often diluted. “When I compared the expert submissions to the summary, it felt like many of the more concrete ideas were toned down,” she explained. For instance, the potential benefits of open-source approaches in cybersecurity and infrastructure were highlighted in expert submissions but received little emphasis in the summary.
Yunusov argues that embracing open-source strategies could provide Canada with greater independence from foreign tech platforms, enabling collaboration while still safeguarding national interests. “If we’re serious about sovereignty, we have to define it in our own interests,” she remarked, emphasizing that open source offers a “third path” rather than a binary choice.
Yunusov also raised broader concerns regarding which organizations are included or excluded from Canada’s AI strategy. Although the report frequently addresses commercialization, it pays less attention to the role of nonprofits and civil society organizations, which are pivotal in delivering public services and fostering public trust. She stated, “We’ve over-indexed on commercialization… nonprofits and civil society are largely missing from the strategy conversation.”
As the consultation evolves into actionable strategies, both Yunusov and Bergen highlighted critical indicators to watch for. Yunusov is particularly interested in whether the strategy will facilitate access for smaller organizations and nonprofits, while Bergen is keen to see how the strategy transitions from intent into actionable measures, such as procurement frameworks and tax policies that support AI scaling and intellectual property retention.
The report mentions that ISED utilized AI tools, including the Canadian company Cohere, to expedite the review process of thousands of submissions. However, there are concerns that the pace of the strategy development may lag behind the rapid adoption of AI technologies in practice. As it stands, the summary sets expectations that remain unresolved, and the efficacy of the forthcoming strategy will ultimately determine its significance in shaping Canada’s AI landscape.
In conclusion, the consultation demonstrates that the Canadian government is actively listening to a wide range of voices as it formulates its national AI strategy. The true measure of the strategy’s success will lie in its ability to translate these consultations into concrete actions that benefit not just businesses but also the broader societal fabric.
See also
Kazakhstan’s Qaz.AI Unveils Balanced AI Regulation to Foster Innovation and Safety
Ottawa Invests Up to $2.5M in NWT for AI Training and Digital Literacy Programs
Pakistan Includes International AI Experts in AI Council to Enhance Policy Implementation
BigBear.ai Acquires Ask Sage for $250M to Enhance Defense AI Amid 40% Stock Decline
C3.ai Explores Merger with Automation Anywhere Amid Growth from $10M Government Contracts
