Strategic task force looking for ‘bold’ ideas on Canadian AI

Now is the time to strategize on how to find and support bold ideas for pushing Canada’s artificial intelligence agenda, according to one member of the federal government’s new AI strategy task force. Gail Murphy is a vice chair with the Digital Research Alliance of Canada and a vice president of research and innovation at the University of British Columbia. She is one of more than two dozen experts who have joined the federal government’s efforts to boost its strategy. Over the course of October, the experts – hived into cohorts focused on research and talent, commercialization of AI, infrastructure, security, public trust, and more – are to consult their own networks to gather recommendations from their peers on what Canada should be doing to position itself in the age of AI. They are to share their recommendations in November, according to a government press release issued late last week. Murphy is a member of the cohort tasked with gathering and sharing perspectives on research and talent. She told The Wire Report it is important to ensure the country has good public and private digital infrastructure. Murphy said she was invited by the government to take part in the task force. With such a short amount of time, it is about strategizing how to look for bold ideas, she said. “Look for those ways that we can really build upon Canada’s amazing talent that does exist and the research results that are coming about daily from Canadians – and really look to how we can continue that to accelerate and make sure that Canada is building a strong sovereign AI capability.” Murphy declined to comment on whether Canada is suffering a “brain drain” in AI talent, but did say it is important to provide the infrastructure needed to make sure that researchers want to be in Canada. “I really believe that Canada has some amazing opportunities available to it, but we also need to choose carefully how we can really benefit from everyone across the country who is strong in AI, where we can build up the research and the talent and truly have a pan-Canadian approach.” Murphy said the country has an “amazing foundation to build from.” “It’s not like we’re starting from behind the start line … we put the start line where it is and we are moving it forward. I think Canada is in a really good position to understand how to improve both fundamental AI methods, as well as really understand how to apply AI to solve some of the major problems that the world faces today.” She noted that the government has invested in digital infrastructure across the country for some years, “but keeping up in digital infrastructure in the age of AI is a challenge for every government around the world.” “I think this is a moment in time where the world is changing pretty fast around us. We have a lot that we can do in Canada, and we all have to step up and do some of that work.” The government had previously launched its “Pan-Canadian AI Strategy” in 2017, and its sovereign AI compute strategy in 2024. It also established an advisory council on artificial intelligence in 2019. hdaley@thewirereport.ca

Strategic task force looking for ‘bold’ ideas on Canadian AI

Regulatory |
By Hannah Daley
|October 1, 2025

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Strategic task force looking for ‘bold’ ideas on Canadian AI

Regulatory | By Hannah Daley |October 1, 2025

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