Montreal is buzzing this week as ALL IN 2025, Canada’s largest artificial intelligence conference, takes over at the Palais des congrès.
Now in its third year, the event has grown at an impressive pace.
What began in 2022 with just over 2,300 attendees has expanded into a global magnet: 6,000 delegates from more than 40 countries are here in 2025. Researchers, policymakers, entrepreneurs, and executives are all converging to chart the next chapter in AI innovation and governance.
And this year, Ottawa is making a statement. Canada’s newly minted Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation, Evan Solomon, delivered a keynote titled “Canada AI Strong: Building the Economy of the Future for Everyone”.
His presence signals something important: AI has moved from niche research to strategic national infrastructure.
Key Themes at ALL IN 2025
In its short history, ALL IN has established its mission clearly: connecting ideas to action, and this year the program is tackling the issues that matter most to Canada’s AI ecosystem:
- Agentic AI & AI factories — The move from assistants to autonomous digital workforces is front and center. NVIDIA, a key partner at the conference, is highlighting how agentic AI will transform productivity and create new markets.
- Responsible AI, governance & ethics — Canada’s approach to balancing innovation with oversight is drawing attention, especially as the stalled Artificial Intelligence and Data Act (AIDA) raises questions about the country’s regulatory direction. Discussions of bias, accountability, and public trust are top of the agenda.
- Industry transformation — Healthcare, finance, energy, manufacturing, and public services are being showcased with case studies and demos that reveal what responsible adoption looks like in practice.
- Data governance & infrastructure — With AI models demanding enormous resources, sessions are digging into Canada’s digital sovereignty, from compute power to secure data access.
- Talent & the future of work — With brain drain still a concern, panels are focusing on how to train, attract, and keep top AI talent in Canada while managing workplace transitions responsibly.
Notably, TELUS announced Canada’s first “sovereign AI factory” in Rimouski, Quebec, powered by NVIDIA-accelerated infrastructure.
Designed to ensure Canadian control over sensitive data and AI capabilities, it’s a major step toward building digital resilience. Meanwhile, RBC Capital Markets revealed it is piloting AI agents for capital markets, proof that even highly regulated sectors are beginning to adopt advanced AI tools.
Why This Matters for Canada
For Canada, ALL IN 2025 isn’t just another conference. It reflects the maturation of Canada’s AI ecosystem — and the country’s challenge to translate research dominance into commercial impact.
The Artificial Intelligence and Data Act (AIDA), first introduced in 2022, remains stuck in Parliament and has drawn criticism for vague definitions and limited consultation.
Minister Solomon has indicated the government will not revive the original legislation wholesale, but is instead working on a refreshed regulatory framework that blends elements of AIDA with new priorities, such as copyright protection and data governance.
This uncertainty underscores Canada’s delicate position. Other nations — from the EU with its AI Act to the U.S. with its evolving federal guidelines — are moving quickly. Canada must prove it can maintain high ethical standards without losing ground in the global AI race.
But events like ALL IN show the strengths of Canada’s approach. With world-leading research hubs like Mila in Montreal, Vector Institute in Toronto, and Amii in Edmonton, Canada has a depth of expertise few countries can match.
By spotlighting startups, launching sovereign infrastructure projects, and keeping responsible AI at the center of debate, Canada has tacked its strategic deck on how it purports to help shape AI’s future.
The Role of Montreal
It’s no accident that Montreal is hosting ALL IN. The city has become a recognized global hub for AI, home to influential research labs and a thriving startup ecosystem.
By bringing thousands of delegates to the city, the conference cements Montreal’s reputation as the place where cutting-edge research is meeting real-world application.
Conferences like this may not solve AI’s toughest challenges overnight.
But they accelerate collaboration, spark partnerships, and surface the obstacles for clearer view. Regulatory, technical, or cultural challenges that stand in the way of progress are brought to the fore in a place where they can be discussed and addressed collectively.
For Canada, ALL IN 2025 is both a showcase and a stress test: can the country turn ethical leadership and research excellence into sustained global influence and business growth at home?
