Strategic partnership will focus initially on trust and usability in open source AI
MONTRÉAL, March 26, 2026 /CNW/ - The future of AI should belong to all of humanity, well beyond a handful of countries or companies. For that to happen, AI needs to be open, trusted, and built in ways that give people, institutions, and nations real choices. That's why Mila and Mozilla are announcing a strategic partnership to advance open source and sovereign AI capabilities.
The partnership marks a landmark strategic collaboration for both organizations -- and Mozilla's first-ever partnership with a major AI research lab. It is designed to grow over time, with an inaugural project that focuses on the intersection of trust and usability, including private memory architectures for AI agents.
Mila brings world-class research depth and a proven track record moving ideas into systems -- from fundamental breakthroughs to applied tools and the diffusion of technology. Mozilla brings deep open source experience, a vibrant developer community, and the ecosystem instincts needed to turn research into something that spreads. The partnership is designed to show that open source AI can close the gap between cutting-edge research and real-world impact.
As we saw in the web era, having a robust open source software stack can democratize and accelerate innovation in dramatic ways. The same opportunity exists in AI -- across compute, models, data, and developer experience -- and much of the stack is already being built in the open. But gaps remain, particularly in the layers that determine whether AI is trustworthy, private, and built for a world with many languages, many cultures, and many legitimate ways of organizing society. If we can close those gaps, open source AI becomes a genuine option for the people and institutions that need it most.
"We are working to build a future where AI development is rooted in openness, privacy, and humanity," said Mark Surman, President of Mozilla. "This partnership is a delivery vehicle for that vision -- and for breakthroughs that will help governments, developers, and companies alike. Canada can lead on AI sovereignty; we're joining with Mila to make it happen."
"Canada has what it takes to lead on frontier AI that the world can actually trust: the research depth, the values, and the will to do it differently. The next frontier in AI isn't just capability, it is trustworthiness, and Canada is uniquely positioned to lead on both. This partnership is a concrete step in that direction. Open, trustworthy AI isn't a compromise on ambition. It's the higher bar," said Valérie Pisano, President and CEO of Mila.
Together, Mila and Mozilla will develop the technologies and approaches that reduce dependence on closed systems and create more room for transparency, accountability, and shared innovation. The partnership also lays the groundwork for middle-power cooperation in AI: open source projects have consistently provided the framework for technical collaboration across geographies and jurisdictions. Both organizations welcome research institutions, developers, and like-minded organizations to help fill the stack.
This is the first of what both organizations intend to be a sustained and growing body of work.
About Mila
Founded by Professor Yoshua Bengio, Mila is the world's largest academic AI research center specialized in deep learning, with a community of over 1,500 members. Based in Montreal, Mila was created through a unique partnership between Université de Montréal and McGill University, dedicated to scientific breakthroughs that drive innovation and ensure AI benefits everyone. A non-profit strongly supported by the Government of Canada and the Government of Quebec, Mila is internationally recognized for its research, global partnerships, and leadership in responsible AI. For more information, visit mila.quebec.
About Mozilla
Mozilla is a mission-driven organization dedicated to keeping the internet open, accessible, and secure. Through a diverse portfolio of products, subsidiaries, and investments, Mozilla advances internet technologies, privacy-first solutions, and responsible AI. Its portfolio includes Firefox, Thunderbird, Mozilla.ai, Mozilla Ventures, and the Mozilla Data Collective.
SOURCE Mila - Quebec AI Institute
For more information: Mila - Quebec Artificial Intelligence Institute, Christian Ahuet, Public Relation Consultant, T. : 514 994-7496, E. : [email protected]; Mozilla, [email protected]
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