Evan Solomon, Canada’s Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation, appeared on BNN Bloomberg to share insights on how AI and digital advancements are shaping the country’s technology landscape.
Canada may be home to some of the brightest minds in artificial intelligence, but when it comes to actually using the technology, the country is falling behind. That’s the concern raised by Evan Solomon, Canada’s first-ever Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation, in a recent interview with BNN Bloomberg.
Solomon, who stepped into politics after a successful media career, says Canada is at the forefront of AI research. The country boasts globally respected experts and companies leading the charge in developing cutting-edge AI technology. “We’re leaders in frontier research,” he emphasized, “and Canadians should be proud of that.”
But the flip side of that success is a troubling lag in the way Canadian businesses are adopting AI in everyday operations. “We’re not keeping up when it comes to using AI to improve productivity and drive growth,” Solomon said.
Why Aren’t Businesses Using AI Yet?
According to Solomon, many Canadian businesses remain cautious. One key reason is uncertainty over whether AI tools can actually boost profits. “Canadians want proof,” he said. “They need to see real, visible results before making big changes.” But this mindset is slowly shifting, as more companies begin to recognize AI’s potential to improve service delivery and customer experience.
Government institutions are also beginning to see AI as a useful tool, not just a buzzword. Solomon believes this growing acceptance is a sign that Canada may be turning a corner in AI adoption.
Balancing Innovation and Responsibility
Regulating AI is another major hurdle—and one that Solomon says needs careful handling. “We can’t treat AI like a horse to be saddled or left to run wild,” he said. “There’s a lot of room between tight control and no control at all.”
He pointed out that many existing Canadian regulations around data privacy already offer a solid foundation. Still, the government plans to strengthen protections to ensure Canadians' personal information is safe in an AI-driven world.
Solomon stressed that while overregulation could stifle innovation, doing nothing could lead to dangerous misuse of the technology. “It’s a tricky balance,” he admitted, but necessary to protect people without slowing progress.
A New Era in Government and Technology
Solomon’s role was created by Prime Minister Mark Carney after the Liberal Party’s April election win. The new ministry is part of a larger strategy to prepare Canada for what Carney calls the “economy of the future.” A big part of that strategy involves building what Solomon described as Canada’s “digital backbone”—a secure network of cloud systems and data centers across the country.
For Solomon, adopting AI isn’t just about keeping pace—it’s about being ready for the next major shift in how society functions. He compared it to the invention of the printing press or the rise of the internet, both moments that changed history.
“We’ve already seen one massive transformation with the internet,” he said. “Now, AI is doing the same—not just changing how we access information, but how we understand and use knowledge.”
