Prime Minister Mark Carney launched the National Council on Artificial Intelligence on 2 October 2026 to advise on Canada’s AI for All strategy, according to the announcement from his office. The council will bring public and private stakeholders into discussions about AI adoption, Canadian companies and sovereign infrastructure.
Key points
- The council’s named members include Yoshua Bengio, Ajay Agrawal and Patrick Pichette, who serves ex officio.
- A small Privy Council Office team will support it. Ministers and departments remain accountable for policy decisions and implementation.
- The government’s strategy targets an additional $200 billion in economic growth and 250,000 new AI-related jobs over five years.
- The government aims to raise AI adoption from just over 12% to 60% by 2034.
Carney names members of his council
The members named by Carney are Ajay Agrawal, Yoshua Bengio, Sanja Fidler, John Graham, Gillian Hadfield, Jordan Jacobs, Eric Lamarre, Valérie Pisano, Senator Thomas Pitfield, Jody Thomas, Louis Vachon and Michelle Zatlyn. Patrick Pichette is also named and serves ex officio.
The Prime Minister’s office says the council will draw on researchers, entrepreneurs, investors, public servants and international experts. It describes the council’s task as providing independent, practical advice on Canada’s AI transformation and connecting people in the public and private sectors who could work together on the strategy. Its remit also covers proposals for new partnerships and AI-focused initiatives.
Carney said the members would advise the government on deploying AI, managing its risks and improving Canadians’ lives. The announcement also assigns the council questions of AI safety, the protection of democracy and how Canadians might share in the technology’s benefits. Those questions sit alongside its work on adoption, national champions and sovereign AI infrastructure.
Privy Council Office supports the advisers
A small team within the Privy Council Office will support the council. Responsible ministers and departments will remain accountable for policy decisions and implementation, the Prime Minister’s office said. The arrangement gives the council a role across subjects handled by the government, including economic competitiveness, talent, research and changes to government services, while leaving those decisions with the bodies responsible for carrying them out.
The council will advise on both the implementation and evolution of AI for All. The government says its strategy has three objectives: building trust in AI, widening opportunity for Canadians and strengthening sovereign control over critical AI capabilities. It wants advice on how to turn Canadian innovation into stronger companies, better public services, jobs and greater economic security.
The domestic council is one part of Canada’s work on AI governance. Canada has also discussed an AI model-testing board with G7 partners, as AI Affairs reported. For the new council, the Prime Minister’s office identifies advice on current challenges and opportunities for coordinated action as part of its work.
AI for All sets targets through 2034
Canada launched AI for All in June 2026. The government says the strategy is intended to promote responsible adoption while broadening access to AI’s benefits for workers and businesses. It targets an additional $200 billion of economic growth and 250,000 new AI-related jobs over the next five years. Those are targets for the strategy, rather than results attributed to the new council.
The government also aims to increase AI adoption from just over 12% to 60% by 2034. It says the strategy will offer young Canadians up to 90,000 AI-related jobs and work placements. The council’s advice on adoption will therefore sit alongside government commitments concerning both the use of AI and access to work associated with it.
In describing AI’s current uses, the Prime Minister’s office points to health care diagnostics and patient care, precision agriculture, and the management of traffic, logistics and infrastructure maintenance. The strategy also covers sovereign infrastructure and government transformation. The council is intended to advise on these subjects as the government develops and implements AI for All.
Digital Transformation Canada adds a federal buyer
The government’s plans for AI in public services also include Digital Transformation Canada, which Carney launched in September 2026. The new federal organisation is intended to modernise how government serves the public and draw on federal procurement to enable Canadian digital and AI companies to expand and bring new technology to market.
