Canada Showcases AI Leadership, Innovation at VivaTech 2025 in Paris

Canada stands at a critical juncture in the global AI race, leveraging its pioneering research legacy yet facing significant challenges in AI adoption and workforce readiness. Despite leading in AI research, only about 26 percent of Canadian organizations have integrated AI technologies, a figure trailing the global average of 34 percent, highlighting a skills gap and low AI literacy across the workforce and education systems. Industry leaders warn that legacy infrastructure, investment hesitancy, and skills shortages, especially among small businesses, are impeding AI deployment, with only a small fraction actively implementing generative AI or measuring its environmental impact. To address these issues, experts advocate for a 'responsible by design' AI framework that embeds sustainability and strategic planning from the outset, aiming to advance ethical and efficient AI use. Canada's leadership in innovation was recently showcased at VivaTech 2025, where the government and over 600 delegates presented cutting-edge AI-driven technologies and emphasized economic growth through AI, underscoring the country's intent to strengthen international partnerships and industrial strategies. Collectively, these efforts reflect Canada's ambition to close its AI skills gap and transition from research excellence to practical, sustainable AI economy leadership.