Conference & Meetings World Supplements Canada AI Supplement | Page 6

Canada
Montréal leading
in Machine Learning
Québec Province’s largest city is leading the way
in Machine Learning, and global tech multina-
tionals are quick to join the AI research party
M
ontréal has
established itself as a
centre of excellence
for Artifi cial Intelligence (AI) and
ICT, with a particular focus on
Machine Learning.
The city has a pipeline of world-
class events including the 30th
International Joint Conference
on Artifi cial Intelligence (IJCAI),
coming to Montréal in 2021 and
bringing up to 3,000 experts from
across the world.
AI is everywhere, playing a
role in almost every industry
and when we talk about AI we
mean developing capabilities
of computers to achieve tasks
previously requiring human
involvement.
Integral to this is Machine
Learning, or using algorithms and
variables to allow computers
to learn from linear examples
without explicit programming.
Allied to these concepts
is Deep Learning, or using
hierarchal web structures similar
to the human brain to give
computers access to a non-
linear style of learning. It is a
concept initially discovered, in
part, in Montréal.
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CONFERENCE & MEETINGS WORLD
This new AI ‘gold rush’ is turning
Canada into the go-to place for
AI experts. A liberal immigration
policy has helped with global
tech talent being encouraged
to relocate to the country. A fast-
track visa system is also a draw.
Money is clearly following the
talent and, last year, Montréal’s
Element AI incubator and
platform for companies that
want to build or include AI
solutions in their busines