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BDC launches program to help SMEs adopt AI, boost productivity and competitiveness. Samuel Easto-Lefebvre, National AI Lead, Senior Advisor, BDC, discusses a new program by the bank to help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) adopt artificial intelligence (AI) technologies effectively. https://lnkd.in/gG6_5JhE #business #news #smallbusiness #entrepreneurs #BDC #technology #artificialintelligence BDC Samuel Easto-Lefebvre

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Boost your marketing teams' creativity and improve collaboration with Microsoft Copilot as their AI assistant. Learn how Copilot can help write emails, generate ideas, outline presentations, analyze data and more. Download this infographic. 👉

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Have you commented on the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat | Secrétariat du Conseil du Trésor du Canada's call for feedback on the Government of Canada's AI Strategy for the Federal Public Service? If you haven't it's not too late! Here at the Info-Tech Research Group our diverse team of AI and Canadian Public Sector analysts, counselors, and consultants are distributed coast to coast. We estimated traditional approaches to collect the feedback, analyze, and produce a report that covers ethics, governance, security, priorities, use cases and so forth would take hundreds of hours. However, by making smart use of Info-Tech's AI toolkit my co-author Andy Neill and I were able to reduce the total effort across all participants to less than 20 hours! This highlights how AI can drive productivity and effectiveness for the Federal Government and organizations across Canada. Productivity is Canada's Achilles Heel according to the Bank of Canada governor Tiff Macklem. When we combine Canadians' natural ingenuity with AI our potential goes exponential! Comments are open until October 31 at this link: https://lnkd.in/gvbXAJDQ Dominic Rochon Stephen Burt Peter Bruce Hayley Spivey Jordan Reed Alaisdar Graham Erika-Kirsten Easton Graham Price PMP ITIL Expert Matthew Bourne Benjamin Selmani Arzu Ozciftci Amelia Spiers Parminder S. Jim Fitzsimmons Sylvain Bélanger, PMP Jean-Paul Lalonde https://lnkd.in/gvbXAJDQ

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BDC announces that it has launched its Data to AI Program to demystify artificial intelligence (AI) for small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) and enhance their productivity. This initiative highlights the power of AI, the benefits of automation, and the critical importance of robust cybersecurity. The program aims to provide solutions, tools, and advice to business owners aiming to thrive in the digital age. Through this program, BDC hopes to help companies accelerate their growth in an evolving business landscape.   BDC says that many SMEs are unaware that they are already using AI. According to a recent BDC study, “The AI Imperative for Canada’s Entrepreneurs,” only 39% of companies surveyed believe they are using AI. However, 66% recognized AI tools when shown a list. Many seem unaware of the AI capabilities built into their existing tools. BDC #BDC #AI #GenerativeAI   What CFOs should know about the state of the AI market - https://lnkd.in/gUbHrvbU

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☁️☁️ Cloud adoption is accelerating, and Canadian organizations are focusing on the next horizon of growth. Our survey 200+ Canadian executives and public services leaders, including interviews with Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google #Cloud and Microsoft Azure, indicates that #cloud is becoming less about technology, and more about enabling business value. Kevin Young https://deloi.tt/4b8fXME

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Let me share the ingredients: 🗣 Stephen Ibaraki , Canadian International tech consultant, teacher, industry analyst, writer, and the former president of the Canadian Information Processing Society with many International rewards. (#Wikipedia: https://lnkd.in/e7SHB5EQ); 🗞 El Pais and Limón Raúl 🗺️ The World Innovation and Technology Congress held in Yerevan in October 2024 (#WITC, https://shorturl.at/AuhyT). El País, the Spanish-language daily newspaper published in Madrid (#Spain), one of the most widely read and influential newspapers in Spain and the Spanish-speaking world, has published a wonderful #interview, in English language, with Stephen Ibaraki, about the future of our times in the #AIAges. 🌐 The #article (October 14, 2024) is available here: https://lnkd.in/eBQ6mAZc I have found the right #questions to properly investigate and dig into innovation of the AI and its potential benefits, as well as the challenges, the threats, and risks and potential opportunities foe both individuals and society related. Ibaraki's #answers are generally optimistic and forward-looking, emphasizing the potential benefits of AI while acknowledging the associated warnings and risks. 💡I highly suggest reading the whole interview, while here I will focus on some of the questions and general impressions: ➡️ What is the immediate #FutureOfAI? He believes that as soon as AI becomes more popular and accessible, it has the potential to reduce inequalities. He acknowledges the need for workforce retraining (70% of workforce within 2027) but sees AI as a tool to facilitate that process. ➡️ #Risks associated with the AI and #AIAct regulation. I have loved this: 🗣"There's no technology that can't be destructive in the hands of people. You can't stop a car from being misused." 💡 As I have said many times, the problem is not the tool or the technology: it's what humans do with them. Regarding the European AI Act, Ibaraki believes it is necessary, but a balanced approach is needed to avoid or prevent the investment of resources. He acknowledges that regulation is "a difficult balancing act" and that the regulations cannot be the same "as is" for everyone I don't want to spoil his thoughts about #robots and #personal #relationships because I'd like to jump directly to the 1 Billion dollar question: ➡️ #AreWeReady? 🤔 What's your opinion? Ibaraka instead of an answer, because there is no sense in the transition period we are in, highlights the need to be #openminded and #adaptable, the importance of #criticalthinking, #responsibility, #resilience and #empathy for the days and years will come. 🎩 💡 I completely agree with him. 🖼 The picture is taken from the El País post. #ArtificialIntelligence #WCIT2024 #Innovation #Disruptive #TechTrends #Future #Mindset #Leadership #Society

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On today’s Collisions YYC episode, we dive deep into data privacy and the critical role it plays in business today. Stephane Hamel, a leader in data analytics and privacy with Université Laval, walks us through everything from GDPR to Canada’s new Bill C-27. Whether you’re a business owner, marketer, or simply a concerned consumer, this episode provides the tools you need to rethink your approach to data. Tune in now to learn how to stay ahead in the age of privacy-first business practices! 🎧 https://lnkd.in/gRrWhSpw

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Kicking off opening night at #ElevateFest2024 with a trio of great leaders from Toronto's #AI Ecosystem. "Unleashing the Power of Innovation Ecosystems" Panel featuring Rizwan Khalfan + Jordan Jacobs + Mara Lederman = a thoughtful and insightful conversation on the #NetworkEffect we have here. Appreciate Jordan's and Mara's nods to Vector Institute 's role in #Talent development...the foundational cornerstone to build and grow a successful innovation culture. Another key takeaway = push for Canada's governments and corporations to #TakeAMeasuredRisk to support our startups to build a customer and revenue base in Canada to get those early wins. Lots of good things have been done to date. Lots more work to do. Let's Go! #artificialintelligence #machinelearning #data #venturecapital #privateequity #advancedmanufacturing #startups Radical Ventures Signal 1 TD #ResponsibleAI #HealthTech #innovation

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A major shift in Canada's consulting industry ✅ Digital Transformation and Data Analytics: The rush for digital upgrades isn’t slowing down. Businesses crave efficiency and competitiveness, pushing the demand for digital transformation consulting sky-high. Likewise, data analytics and AI aren’t just buzzwords but essentials, powering insights that drive decisions. ✅ Enhanced Client Collaboration and Project Management: Gone are the days of distant consultants. Now, it’s all about working hand in glove with clients to craft success. And with projects sprawling across geographies, mastering project management tools has become non-negotiable. ✅ Consistent Growth and Competition: The Canadian consulting scene is buzzing. Thanks to a strong economy, we're seeing more players enter the game, ensuring healthy competition and innovation. ✅ Booming Government and Financial Sector Demands: With government spending on the rise and financial sectors seeking out sharp consulting minds, the opportunities are ripe for the taking. ✅ The Gig Economy and Specialization Surge: The gig wave is hitting hard, with more firms opting for specialized consultants over generalists. This shift not only diversifies the talent pool but also elevates the quality of consultancy. Amidst this transformation, startups stand to gain. Adapting to digital trends, striking closer client relationships, and exploring the gig economy's opportunities are key to thriving. For those ready to evolve, the future is bright. ⬆️ Are you part of it?

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Non-profit organizations across Canada are facing the challenge of doing more with fewer resources. Could AI help to boost productivity and drive mission success? In my upcoming training with the Canadian Marketing Association, we’ll dive into how AI can empower non-profits to achieve more with less. We'll also address some important ethical issues and limitations. Here's what participants will learn: 📌 The cutting-edge AI trends and technologies impacting non-profits across all sectors 📌 Techniques to create targeted marketing campaigns using AI 📌 The power of AI in enhancing member engagement & donor retention 📌 Best practices for integrating AI into your marketing workflow 📌 Challenges and limitations of integrating AI-based tools in the workplace https://lnkd.in/gnUvyQC4 #AIforGood #NonProfitMarketing #ArtificialIntelligence #MarketingTrends #AIinMarketing #NonProfitInnovation #DigitalTransformation #CanadianMarketing #ProductivityBoost #AIandDonorEngagement

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This June, in collaboration with Mitacs and Dawson College Artificial Intelligence, our team at AI Launch Lab / Lancement IA will begin operating AI Accelerator Programs, an initiative designed to develop AI competencies in Canada's future workforce and to increase AI adoption in industry. As increasingly powerful AI models and tools begin to transform our roles in the workplace, the barriers to developing capacity to participate in these innovations is dropping. Having not yet been inculcated by workspaces of the present, college students are especially well-placed to learn, adapt, and contribute. AI Accelerator Programs can help enable a generation of college students to be prepared and capable to help Canadian industry lead this transition. College students with any background and from any discipline will be able to join a free, accessible, and diverse AI cohort, learning state-of-the-art skills through the process of creation while being mentored by experts in the field. Applied Learning will be followed by Launch, where distinguished students will be selected for a paid internship in order to complete an applied AI R&D project while retaining the full support, training, and mentorship from our teams and experts. AI Accelerator Programs' unique model enables rapid upskilling and provides industry value throughout the training process through starting and scaling R&D projects, prototyping, and experimentation to capable teams with a minimum of cost, management, and onboarding. It also promotes responsible AI by catalyzing practical deployment of data security and privacy-first practices as well as algorithmic impact assessments, leading to better outcomes for all stakeholders, and reducing potential liability from AI adoption to companies. AI Accelerator Programs will further advance Canada's strengths in AI education, increase adoption across industries and business sizes, expand the AI talent pool, and support the success of underrepresented groups in the talent development pipeline. I am thrilled to be part of this initiative, which we aim to scale to many thousands of students over the coming years. It is the outcome of more than 5 years of work from our current and previous teams, as well as the indispensable support of many colleagues, collaborators, and friends during that time. If you're interested in hiring an intern through this program (subsidized 50%+ by Mitacs) and benefitting from the project management, support, and deep expertise from AI Launch Lab and our partners, as well as the vast pool of trained and dedicated college students who will be contributing to your project's success even as they learn, apply at the link below. If you want to collaborate with us in another way or want to learn more, send me a message. The future competitiveness of the Canadian economy depends on its ability to vastly increase AI adoption and the AI talent base. Let’s help lead the way together. https://lnkd.in/eC5fFRwE

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While 94% of Canadian businesses haven't touched AI yet, those who have are proving job loss fears wrong! I've been analyzing the Q2 2024 numbers from Statistics Canada's report, "Analysis on Artificial Intelligence Use by Businesses in Canada, second quarter of 2024" published on June 20th, 2024. source: https://lnkd.in/ehvtjRHf This report breaks some common myths about AI. The most surprising? 6.1% of all businesses have made use of AI in producing goods and delivering services over the last 12 months. 85% of businesses saw no job losses after bringing in AI tools. Instead, companies are choosing to train their current employees - about 39% are investing in AI training programs. Breaking it down by industry: • Tech and media companies are leading the charge (20.9%) • Professional services follow at 13.7% • Financial sector comes in at 10.9% What are they using AI for? Language processing tops the list at 28.9%. In specific sectors: • Banks and financial firms heavily use chatbots (66.8%) • Professional services focus on image recognition (47.1%) • Media companies work with language processing (41.3%) Something caught my eye: newer companies (under 10 years old) are twice as likely to plan AI projects compared to established businesses. This highlights a resistance to change often seen in more established organizations. They're not replacing workers - they're building new ways of working. This data shows Canadian businesses are being smart about AI - focusing on helping employees work better rather than replacing them. Share your thoughts: What's holding your company back from exploring AI solutions?

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🙋‍♀️ Are you one of the 123 companies with Parity Certification from La Gouvernance au Féminin - Women in Governance? 🌟 I recently had the privilege of a great conversation with Caroline Codsi, IAS.A., ICD.D., the founder of La Gouvernance au Féminin - Women in Governance, through my involvement with the Women in Tech®Canada chapter. This certification is a game-changer, providing the framework needed to assess your company, close the gender gap, and create truly inclusive workplaces. With personalized reports, tailored recommendations, and industry collaboration, the Parity Certification from La Gouvernance au Féminin - Women in Governance empowers companies to achieve gender equality. Let's join the movement towards workplace fairness and equality!

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Call for Proposals in AI Skills & Adoption Accepting EOI submissions until 12pm PT / 3pm ET September 23rd, 2024. “Proposed projects are to: Result in the contributions to a sustainable Canadian AI ecosystem by increasing the diversity and number of applied AI professionals and supporting organizations to adopt and implement AI technologies as aligned with the Areas of Interest cited above, or that address other clearly demonstrated needs or opportunities. Have a projected completion date by December 31, 2025. There is no minimum or maximum project size, although funds are subject to availability and will be competitively distributed across projects that demonstrate high potential and evaluation against the goals of the call. Be committed to the safe and responsible use of AI with a demonstrated understanding and compliance to current and anticipated AI regulation in Canada and target markets. Teams are expected to take appropriate measures to ensure the ethical and responsible approach to the use of data and ongoing facilitation and implementation of any AI technology solutions throughout and beyond the project. Be enabled by an industry-focused consortium of at least three organizations with at least one organization from private industry and it being encouraged to have at least one research or post-secondary academic institution, and a community organization that can provide wraparound supports for learners. Further, these partners can be the following for the respective project types: AI Workforce Development projects should involve at least one industry organization to validate the relevance of training programs, confirm the demand for skills and provide work-integrated learning (WIL) opportunities. AI Adoption Accelerator projects should involve at least one organization that represents a potential early adopter of the proposed AI training or adoption solution. Meet the other eligibility requirements and have a high scoring against the Evaluation Criteria cited in the Program Guide”

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I just reviewed the super interesting "AI Talent in Canada" report by the Conference Board, Future Skills Centre, and Vector Institute. It’s packed with insights that institutions should pay attention to, such as: * Demand for core AI skills (skills to develop and integrate AI) is up 37% since 2018, while peripheral IT skills (Software development, etc) are on the decline. * The U.S. leads in AI adoption with bigger investments and more ambitious projects. * Prompt engineering is seen as a temporary trend, with "prompt design" taking the stage. * Industry needs more cross-disciplinary AI talent that blends tech with sector-specific expertise. * There's growing demand for skills in AI ethics and governance. Check out the full report for more: https://lnkd.in/gQ9BQJBm #AITalent #FutureSkills #Education #Innovation

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The Hootsuite "Social Trends 2024 in Financial Services" report: Official Link: https://lnkd.in/gH48sWqs The report highlights 5 key trends that are shaping the future of social media in finance: - The AI Trend: Generative AI is transforming how financial organizations create content, but earning client consideration can be vital. - The Platform Trend: Institutions are streamlining their social presence to focus on the platforms that drive results. - The ROI Trend: To boost the bottom line, finance brands must tap into entertainment value on social. - The Compliance Trend: Leaders are locating approaches to prioritize compliance without sacrificing social media success. - The Influencer Trend: 'Finfluencers' are supporting financial manufacturers to build lifelong relationships with younger audiences. This in-depth document gives valuable insights and records-pushed pointers that could assist financial entrepreneurs navigate the evolving social media landscape in 2024 and beyond. #financesocial #finservtrends2024 #socialmediamarketing #financialservices #digitaltransformation #AI #influencers

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Tune in to the latest episode of TEC Canada's, The Leadership Standard Podcast, where I interview my friend, Ron Tite, named one of the “Top 10 Creative Canadians” by Marketing Magazine. A best-selling author, speaker, producer, and entrepreneur, Ron has always blurred the lines between art and commerce. He has been an award-winning advertising writer and creative director for some of the world’s most respected brands including Air France, Evian, Fidelity, Hershey, Johnson & Johnson, Kraft, Intel, Microsoft, Volvo and many others. He is founder of Church+State, host and executive producer of the hit podcast, “The Coup”, and publisher of This is That Travel Guide to Canada – a best-selling and award-winning satirical book. He has written for television. Penned a children’s book. Wrote, produced and performed a hit play. Created a branded art gallery. And was executive producer & host of the award-winning comedy show, Monkey Toast. In demand as a speaker all over the world, Ron speaks to leading organizations about leadership, disruption, branding, and creativity. Ron’s first book, Everyone’s An Artist – Or At Least They Should Be (Co-written by Scott Kavanagh and Christopher Novais), was published by HarperCollins in 2016. His most recent book, Think Do Say: How to Seize Attention and Build Trust in a Busy Busy World, hit store shelves in October or 2019. In this episode, Ron shares insights on personal growth, the evolution of advertising, and industry disruption. Discover his social media strategies, tips for cutting through the noise, and the essence of purpose-driven leadership. Prepare to be inspired as Ron imparts wisdom and creativity, offering a glimpse into the innovative world of advertising and content creation. Don't miss this inspiring and practical conversation with one of Canada's foremost creative thinkers! https://lnkd.in/gMgzr-uj #jamiemasoncohen #rontite TEC Canada #business #marketing #advertising #contentmarketing

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