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Experts warn Canada risks losing top researchers in ‘global war for AI talent’

CIFAR and the national institutes in a July letter requested a $186-million top-up over 10 years as funding expires after March 31, 2026.
Competition for top-tier AI talent has reached a fever pitch, driven by private-sector giants and nation-state strategies, while Canada’s commercialization gap pushes startups and IP abroad, intensifying talent loss.
There are 126 CIFAR AI research chairs at 17 universities across six provinces, ranking behind only Google and Max Planck, with top researchers like Geoffrey Hinton and others targeted by xAI, ETH Zurich, and MIT.
Decisions on renewals are being considered as part of the updated national AI strategy, and no decisions have been announced, with academic hiring cycles mean researchers start looking nine to 12 months in advance.
Elissa Strome, executive director of the pan-Canadian AI strategy at CIFAR, said the group is waiting for the government to release its new national AI strategy, warning Canada risks losing leading minds and economic benefits without sustained response.

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Experts warn Canada risks losing top researchers in ‘global war for AI talent’

Canada must act to retain its international leadership in AI research in the face of a worldwide race for talent that’s reached a “fever pitch,” the country’s national AI institutes warned the government last summer.

14 days ago·Canada

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