AI in Canada 2017
In October 2017, the Artificial Intelligent (AI) Expert Mission travelled to Toronto and Montréal. The UK delegation met with Canadian federal and provincial government officials, academics and commercial entities – gaining exposure to nearly forty AI related organisations and learning about more than 80 programmes that could directly benefit collaboration, joint ventures and innovation opportunities for AI organisations in the UK.
Abstract from outcome report:
The UK is perceived as a global authority in AI, yet there is no room for complacency. The House of Commons Science and Technology Committee’s Report on Robotics and Artificial Intelligence (RAI) in September 2016 acknowledged RAI as the ‘fourth industrial revolution’ that holds the potential to reshape fundamentally the way we live and work, and hence the immediate leadership and investment to create future growth in this sector. This call-for-action was underpinned by Innovate UK’s £16m Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund (ISCF) on R&D competition for RAI in extreme and challenging environments in June 2017.
One of the other global frontrunners in the growth and commercialisation of AI is Canada, which is investing heavily in support networks for the technology to secure its position as a global leader in the field. It was the key objectives of the Global Expert Mission to explore the potential synergies and opportunities for future UK-Canada innovation collaboration to support the growth of businesses in both countries.
About Global Expert Missions
The Global Expert Missions (GEM) programme is funded by Innovate UK to support the Industrial Strategy’s ambition for the UK to be the international partner of choice for science and innovation. Led by Innovate UK KTN, GEMs play an important role in building strategic partnerships, providing deep insight into the opportunities for UK innovation and shaping future bilateral collaboration programmes.