Quebec Investing to Stimulate Research and Innovation in Artificial Intelligence
May 16, 2017
On Monday, May 15, Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard announced that a steering committee would be established to draw up a strategy leading to the creation of a Quebec artificial intelligence (IA) cluster. The province will be investing $100 million over five years for this purpose. Quebec is carrying through on the investment promised in its latest budget, with the goal of positioning Montréal and Quebec as key players in AI research and innovation.
The artificial intelligence cluster will draw on the expertise developed in this field, at HEC Montréal among other places, by working with the Institute for Data Valorisation (IVADO). The Institute, co-founded by the Université de Montréal, HEC Montréal and Polytechnique Montréal, brings together nearly 900 researchers in data science, operational research and artificial intelligence from the three institutions.
The new steering committee announced on Monday will be co-chaired by Pierre Boivin, President and CEO of Claridge, and Guy Breton, Rector of the Université de Montréal. Robert Gagné, Director of Research and Knowledge Transfer at HEC Montréal, and Chair of the IVADO Board, will also sit on the committee, consisting of 12 members from the business and academic communities.
More specifically, the committee will be responsible for developing a strategic plan with the goal of stimulating research and innovation in artificial intelligence, operational research, business creation and the deployment of applications across Quebec. It will also help define a uniquely Quebec vision of artificial intelligence, in order to strengthen the province’s position in this field.
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