TORONTO (AP) — Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney issued a stark warning Thursday about the potential dangers foreign artificial intelligence systems pose to his nation’s security and sovereignty.
During the rollout of his administration’s new AI strategy, Carney emphasized that this transformative technology has arrived and that Canada relies too heavily on overseas providers. He expressed concern that the nation’s dependence could leave it vulnerable to exploitation.
The prime minister had previously cautioned at this year’s World Economic Forum in Davos that powerful nations like the United States have leveraged economic ties to intimidate smaller countries. On Thursday, he highlighted how the majority of AI-related data flows beyond Canadian borders.
Similar to other forms of economic interdependence such as supply networks, Carney explained that artificial intelligence systems could become tools of coercion against Canada.
“That creates real risks that foreign entities could access Canadian data, deploy AI products that shape Canadian lives without reflecting our values,” Carney said. “And tilt the playing field against Canadian firms — while Canada lacks the leverage to push back or the ability to control.”
The administration’s strategy document observes that “AI is a game of scale that is dominated by hegemons and hyperscalers” and states this “poses a significant security and economic challenge as countries around the globe risk becoming subordinate or reliant on them.”
The plan outlines Canada’s role in guiding other mid-sized nations or allied countries through this technological transition.
“A coalition of aligned democracies, who pool research, talent, compute and procurement power, would offer a credible alternative to the dominant market actors that increasingly define the global AI landscape,” the document says.
Carney announced his administration plans to introduce new laws for enhanced data and privacy protection. He also revealed plans to construct a world-class public AI supercomputer.
“Canadian researchers train models on foreign cloud platforms. Canadian companies store sensitive data in foreign jurisdictions. Government operations rely on infrastructure Canada does not own,” the strategy says.
The document states the federal government will tackle these vulnerabilities by “building its key sovereign capabilities domestically whenever possible, while partnering with trusted allies or buying existing market solutions when appropriate.”
The strategy identified that Canada faces “a major adoption gap.” The prime minister said his administration will provide artificial intelligence education to citizens in educational institutions and community facilities through a literacy program. He explained that complimentary AI educational materials, including coursework, “will help Canadians to identify bias and misinformation — and give them the AI tools to learn and help with their careers.”
Carney noted that internationally, his nation ranks among the lowest countries in AI education, understanding and confidence. He revealed that only 12% of Canadian companies currently utilize AI technology, with even lower usage rates among smaller enterprises.
