Canada's National AI Strategy: Mila Welcomes an Ambitious Vision Propelling Canada Toward Scientific and Technological Leadership

MONTRÉAL, June 4, 2026 /CNW/ - Mila – Quebec Artificial Intelligence Institute enthusiastically welcomes the government of Canada's newly unveiled national artificial intelligence (AI) strategy: "AI for All." Built around six comprehensive pillars including protecting Canadians, safeguarding technological sovereignty, building international alliances, and scaling Canadian champions, this roadmap establishes a decisive framework for Canada's technological future that reflects the vision Mila has championed since its inception.

As one of the world's largest and most renowned academic AI research centers, Mila views the new strategy as a critical, high-stakes turning point that secures Canada's global competitive edge.

"This strategy reflects the core values Mila has always championed: driving scientific excellence, propelling impactful innovations, ensuring the safety and responsible deployment of AI, and attending to the cultural and linguistic relevance of the technology," says Valérie Pisano, President and Chief Executive Officer of Mila. "Canada has a world-class AI ecosystem and the foundations needed to lead. At this pivotal moment, we must deploy this vision with an acute sense of urgency. This new strategy allows us to anchor in our core strengths while building technology that reflects our values and serves our collective interests. By staying true to who we are, we can build a prosperous future that asserts Canada's place as a global leader in this new era for AI."

Canada's new national AI strategy marks a structural evolution in the country's innovation ecosystem, elevating frontier capabilities to critical national assets. The strategy explicitly highlights domestic champions like Cohere and LawZero, the safe-by-design AI organization founded by Yoshua Bengio and incubated at Mila. In doing so, it underscores Canada's position as one of the few nations with the domestic capacity to build and scale world-leading commercial solutions.

The government's strategic expansion of the Canada CIFAR AI Chairs program, alongside dedicated funding for Founders-in-Residence initiatives, public-interest open-source projects, Indigenous-led AI and large-scale AI literacy programs, provides a powerful blueprint for national success.

Via these initiatives, the strategy highlights several of Mila's flagship projects as national models for impact, including the First Languages AI Reality program for Indigenous leadership. In alignment with the strategy's emphasis on developing tools adapted to Canada's diverse, multicultural society, Mila is also advancing Quebec French language AI and multilingual evaluation through its new partnership with Cohere. Furthermore, Canada's commitment to public-interest AI and open-source technology directly aligns with Mila's recent partnerships with Mozilla and Robust Open Online Safety Tools (ROOST), which advance inclusive AI development and youth online safety to help ensure AI benefits for everyone. At the same time, the strategy's focus on capital scaling mirrors initiatives like Mila's Venture Scientist Fund, created alongside Inovia Capital to bridge research with investment, accelerate commercialization, and turn lab-born AI into global companies.

"Seeing AI research play such a central role in Canada's renewed AI strategy is excellent news," adds Hugo Larochelle, Scientific Director of Mila. "The expansion of the Canada CIFAR AI Chairs program strengthens the cornerstone of our scientific ecosystem. By connecting this research backbone to high-impact projects that deliver significant public good, as well as initiatives like the Canadian AI Safety Institute and our own AI Safety Studio, Canada is ensuring it can guide AI development responsibly and on our own terms."

Looking ahead, Mila will leverage this momentum to deepen its collaboration with trusted global allies. By working hand-in-hand with international partners, governments, industry, and the other national AI institutes, Amii and the Vector Institute, Mila is prepared to implement this national vision with the urgency the moment demands, ensuring AI builds shared prosperity that works for all Canadians.

About Mila – Quebec Artificial Intelligence Institute
Founded by Professor Yoshua Bengio, Mila – Quebec Artificial Intelligence Institute is the world's largest academic AI research center specialized in deep learning, home to a community over 1500 strong. Based in Montreal, Mila was created out of a unique partnership between Université de Montréal and McGill University, dedicated to advancing scientific breakthroughs that drive innovation and ensure AI benefits everyone. A non-profit organization, Mila is strongly supported by the Government of Canada through the Pan-Canadian AI Strategy and by the Government of Quebec. Internationally recognized for its influential research, global innovation partnerships, and leadership in multilateral efforts on responsible AI, Mila continues to shape the future of AI worldwide. For more information, visit mila.quebec.

SOURCE Mila - Quebec AI Institute

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