Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced as part of Ottawa’s 2024 budget that his government is setting aside $2.4 billion to build capacity in artificial intelligence (AI).

The bulk of that total ($2 billion) is going into a fund that will aim to provide access to computing capabilities and technical infrastructure.

“We want to help companies adopt AI in a way that will have positive impacts for everyone,” Trudeau said, adding that $200m will go toward boosting the adoption of AI in sectors such as agriculture, health care and clean technology.

The Artificial Intelligence and Data Act (AIDA) was introduced in Parliament as part of Bill C-27 in June 2022 and is the first federal legislation specifically aimed at AI in Canada.

It is designed to promote the responsible design, development, and use of AI systems in Canada’s private sector, and it says its focus is on systems with the greatest impact on health, safety, and human rights.

$50m AI safety institute

The government plans to launch a $50m AI safety institute to protect against what it calls “advanced or nefarious AI systems,” and another $5.1m will go toward an office of the AI and Data Commissioner to enforce the proposed AIDA. Additional funds will be put toward helping small and medium-sized businesses incorporate AI into their networks.

Since the introduction of the bill, Trudeau said, the government has engaged extensively with stakeholders on the novel challenges posed by generative AI.

Similar to leaders in other countries, Trudeau noted Sunday that supporting AI innovation and technology is critical, as this industry sector is one of the highest paying ones globally and that demand for recruiting Canadians with AI skills is skyrocketing.