The federal government is investing $162 million in Mitacs to create 10,000 paid AI work placements for students and recent graduates, aiming to help small and medium-sized businesses that lack in-house technical expertise adopt artificial intelligence.
AI Minister Evan Solomon announced the funding on Friday in Toronto at an event hosted by the Empire Club of Canada, in front of an audience that included business leaders and 120 students. The program is designed to pair young AI talent with non-technical businesses, giving companies practical access to AI expertise while creating employment opportunities for graduates of AI-related programs.
Building a Bridge Between Talent and Industry
Solomon described the initiative as more than a jobs program. He said the placements represent an opportunity to move resources from post-secondary institutions into the broader economy and to give organizations the expertise needed to use AI in a practical and reliable way. He added that the effort is meant to build the workforce of the future and help Canadian organizations become more productive and competitive.
The funding follows through on a commitment the federal government made in June, when it released Canada’s National Artificial Intelligence Strategy. That strategy pledged up to 90,000 AI-related jobs and work placements for young Canadians by 2031, with 10,000 of those positions to come through the Mitacs ADOPT and AI+X programs.
Modelled on an Existing Internship Approach
The new program draws inspiration from an existing internship initiative run by Communitech, which connected young AI talent with local businesses in non-technical industries to support their adoption of the technology. The federal investment is intended to expand that model on a national scale, aiming to close the gap between Canada’s technology talent pool and businesses outside the tech sector that could benefit from AI tools.
The government’s broader ambitions for its AI strategy rest in part on developing homegrown AI talent and ensuring that expertise reaches beyond the technology industry into small and medium-sized enterprises across the country.
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