MONTREAL, Sept. 29, 2023 /CNW/ - On September 27 and 28, SCALE AI, Canada's AI Global Innovation Cluster, held the first edition of ALL IN, the country's most important gathering dedicated to Canadian artificial intelligence (AI), at the Palais des congrès de Montréal, in the presence of Justin Trudeau, Canada's Prime Minister, François-Philippe Champagne, Canada's Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, Pierre Fitzgibbon, Québec's Minister for the Economy, Innovation and Energy, Minister responsible for Regional Economic Development and Minister responsible for the Metropolis and the Montréal Region, Valérie Plante, Montréal's Mayor, and over 2,000 AI experts, business leaders and researchers from all over the world.
With attendees from 20 different countries, ALL IN was a true showcase of the best that Canada has to offer in AI, demonstrating how AI can revolutionize various industries and improve citizens' lives. AI is transforming Canada's industries, redefining the way we work, and paving the way for a more innovative future. The event enabled Canada to position itself as a global leader in AI by sharing its expertise with the rest of the world.
The event featured more than 60 case studies of AI projects successfully deployed in various industries and showcased Canada's top 100 AI startups. Executives from Canada's leading businesses such as Bombardier, Cohere, Coveo, Intact, Wealthsimple and renowned researchers from McGill University, Université de Montréal and the University of British Columbia discussed key challenges regarding AI applications within areas such as healthcare, finance, manufacturing, supply chain management, retail, and the environment.
The importance of better regulation and governance of AI to ensure responsible, fair and equitable access to AI was also addressed. The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Canada's Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, made a very important announcement in this regard, presenting the Canadian government's Code of Practice for Generative AI. This code of practice, implemented on a voluntary basis by Canadian businesses, has already been signed by a number of leading companies, showing the way towards a more responsible application of AI and ensuring its development while mitigating risks.
On the second day of the event, the Right Honourable Justin Trudeau, Canada's Prime Minister, also participated in a roundtable discussion with leaders from the AI ecosystem and met with innovators and startups.
The organization is thrilled to announce that the event will be back on the agenda in the fall of 2024. ALL IN 2023, a SCALE AI initiative, was co-organized with CEIMIA, Mila - Quebec AI Institute, and the Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal. This major event was made possible thanks to the financial support of the City of Montreal and a number of invaluable partners.
The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Canada's Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, says: "Developing the use of responsible artificial intelligence is a key part of our government's plan to make Canada's economy stronger than ever. SCALE AI and ALL IN 2023 have set the table for more critical and timely discussions around advances in artificial intelligence. As Canada shows the world what we bring to the global AI ecosystem, it is imperative that we ensure adequate standards and safeguards for generative AI systems are in place. Our Voluntary AI Code of Conduct will keep Canada at the forefront of AI technology in a responsible way while bringing industry and government to work together on building trust to realize the full potential of AI."
Valérie Plante, Mayor, City of Montréal, says: "As a hub for artificial intelligence, Montréal can count on a phenomenal ecosystem for research and innovation, boosting our metropolis' economy. I'm delighted to see Montréal host this major international event. AI is an indispensable tool for making our cities more inclusive, sustainable and efficient, and has the potential to improve the quality of life of our citizens. This event will enable experts from around the world to reflect here, in Montréal, on the best ways to use AI responsibly, while respecting our shared values of ethics, equity and accountability."
Julien Billot, CEO, SCALE AI, explains : "ALL IN has showcased the AI solutions and services that are being developed here and will be adopted by companies around the world. This was the first edition of the ALL IN event but it will not be the last. We are pleased to announce there will be a 2024 edition!"
Hélène Desmarais, Co-Chair of the Board of Directors, SCALE AI, adds: "Our AI ecosystem has been at the forefront of research advances and is now paving the way for unprecedented commercial opportunities in all economic sectors. We're proud of what we've achieved so far, and we're just getting started. ALL IN is a world-class event connecting people to real-life applications of Canadian AI in all industries."
Sophie Fallaha, Executive Director, CEIMIA, states: "CEIMIA is delighted to have been a leading partner in the organization of the first edition of ALL IN. Canada's leadership in responsible AI and regulation allows our entire ecosystem to shine on the international stage. ALL IN was able to attract speakers and participants from all over the world, and this is a fine demonstration of the vivacity of our AI community."
Yoshua Bengio, Founder and Scientific Director, Mila, mentions: "We are on a trajectory to build a technology more powerful than anything we have built so far. ALL IN was an excellent forum to discuss the opportunities of AI, but also the need to properly regulate it to enable social progress while mitigating the risks."
Michel Leblanc, President and CEO, Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montréal, comments: "The success of these two days confirms Montréal's position as a global hub for artificial intelligence. We have witnessed the strength of our ecosystem, as well as the immense potential of AI for our companies and to resolve major societal challenges. The entire industry is also mobilized for the responsible development of AI. In this regard, we welcome Minister Champagne's announcement of a new voluntary code of conduct for AI. This is a good strategy as we await the adoption of Bill C-27."
As Canada's AI Global Innovation Cluster, SCALE AI acts as an investment and innovation hub that accelerates the rapid adoption and integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and contributes to developing a world-class Canadian AI ecosystem. Based in Montreal and funded by the federal government and the Quebec government, SCALE AI works with more than 500 industry partners, research institutes, and other players in the field of AI. The organization develops programs to support investments in companies that implement real-world applications of AI and encourage the emergence of future Canadian flagships in the sector, all while facilitating the development of a highly skilled workforce.
SOURCE Scale AI
Eric Aach, [email protected] | 514-569-3594
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