A New Vision for Canada: The Vector Institute for Artificial Intelligence

In Mazzucato's book, The Entrepreneurial State, she writes about the many ways which governments fund the riskiest early-stage 'basic science' required for disruptive innovation. Whether that be directly through grant funding programs or indirectly through tax incentives and/or regulation(s, Mazzucato argues how it is visionary public policy that leads the way in revolutionary inventions.

In our own innovation ecosystem in Kitchener-Waterloo, there are several examples of publically funded research institutions and business incubators: the Institute for Quantum Computing, Velocity Garage, and Communitech Hub (as a part of Ontario's policy: ONE Network of Regional Innovation Centres 'RICs') to name a few. And of course, the University of Waterloo and Wilfrid Laurier University.

This article announces the provincial and federal government's latest efforts to make Canada a leading nation in an innovative technology: acritical intelligence (AI). The University of Toronto’s unveiled Vector Institute for Artificial Intelligence will be receiving $50 million in funding from the province of Ontario, in addition to $40-50 million from the federal government (administered by the Canadian Institute for Advanced research.  $80 million will also be invested in smaller donations from 26 private sector firms over a 10-year period.

Illustrating Mazzucato's point about visionary public policy, Ontario's Premier Kathleen Wynne said at the unveiling: “We’re in a period of great transition in our economy with technology disrupting, challenging, and improving the way we live and work...we have two options: follow or lead. With the launch of Vector, Ontario is choosing to lead the next great leap forward in technology, innovation and talent.” Echoing this vision for Canada, Federal Finance Minister Morneau added: "...we’re taking big bets on areas where Canada is already a leader and we know we can continue to be a world leader, which specifically includes AI and deep learning...”

In this announcement, Mazzucato's illustration of 'symbiotic' (as opposed to parasitic) innovation ecosystems is also realized. Towards the end of the article, the author notes that Shopify, one of Canada's leading technology companies, was one of the largest private sector donators -- providing $5 million to the project. This is a great example of a company that benefited from public policy: vision, regulation, and funding and is now actively 'giving back' to the ecosystem in order to allow new and innovate technology/companies to blossom.



Here are some additional articles on the new Vector Institute for Artificial Intelligence:

http://www.itbusiness.ca/news/new-toronto-ai-research-centre-to-get-financing-from-all-levels-of-government-private-sector/88773

https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2017/03/28/new-toronto-institute-aims-to-be-worldwide-supplier-of-artificial-intelligence-capability.html

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/rob-commentary/artificial-intelligence-is-the-future-and-canada-must-seize-it/article33532668/