Edmonton’s largest AI conference, Upper Bound, marks its fifth anniversary with a significant announcement from the Government of Canada. On Tuesday, $6.8 million in funding was unveiled to aid five Alberta-linked organizations in enhancing productivity and commercializing AI technologies. Eleanor Olszewski, the minister overseeing Prairies Economic Development Canada, shared this news at the conference’s opening. She highlighted Upper Bound’s rapid growth as a testament to Alberta’s leadership in the AI sector. This funding is part of the Regional Artificial Intelligence Initiative (RAII), a $200-million federal effort to support small and medium-sized businesses in sectors like agriculture, cleantech, healthcare, and manufacturing. The University of Alberta received $3 million in non-repayable funding for its Canadian AI Compute Vault project, aimed at advancing AI technologies. The other four recipients, including Darkhorse Emergency, Localintel, Ntwist, and Vertical City, received repayable funding to further their AI-driven projects. This investment is expected to support approximately 70 jobs in Alberta.
How is PrairiesCan supporting AI in Alberta with $6.8 million?
