Wary of U.S., Carney Bets on AI Strategy for Canada

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Canada unveiled a national artificial intelligence strategy Thursday that emphasizes developing homegrown AI capacity while shielding consumers from potential harms. The initiative, framed partly as a counterweight to U.S. dominance in the sector, reflects Ottawa's broader effort to assert technological independence. The strategy balances investment in Canadian AI talent and infrastructure with regulatory safeguards, a stance that signals wariness of both American tech supremacy and the risks of rapid AI deployment. Officials, including Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland's successor Mark Carney, positioned the move as essential to keeping Canada competitive while maintaining control over its own digital future.