Canada has established itself as a global leader in artificial intelligence research and talent development. Yet despite these strengths, translating that advantage into broad-based economic and societal impact remains uneven.

This panel will examine how Canada can more effectively move from discovery to deployment—closing the gap between research excellence and real-world adoption. Bringing together leaders from academia, national AI institutes, and industry, the discussion will explore where the system is working, where it is falling short, and what it will take to scale impact.

A central focus will be on how talent, research, and industry can be more tightly connected—ensuring that students, researchers, and companies are working together on real-world challenges earlier and more often. Drawing on practical experience, panelists will highlight models that accelerate adoption, strengthen talent pipelines, and enable organizations to apply AI in meaningful, measurable ways.

Attendees will gain insights into:

What is actually driving AI adoption in practice, including approaches that embed talent within real-world environments to accelerate innovation and reduce barriers to implementation
How Canada can better align its research, training, and industry needs, ensuring that highly qualified talent is equipped to contribute to applied AI and commercialization

What systemic changes are needed to scale impact, from institutional incentives within academia to national strategies that support adoption, competitiveness, and long-term growth
This session will move beyond potential to focus on execution—highlighting how Canada can convert its AI leadership into sustained economic and societal advantage.

This event is not affiliated with Invest Ottawa and is independently organized by a third party.