The mandate
On September 27 and 28, 2023, SCALE AI, Canada's global AI innovation hub specializing in artificial intelligence (AI), presented the first edition of ALL IN, the country's largest gathering dedicated to Canadian AI, which took place at the Palais des congrès de Montréal. NATIONAL supported SCALE AI and its partners in this initiative, organized in collaboration with CEIMIA, Mila - Institut québécois d'intelligence artificielle, and the Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal. ALL IN brought together AI experts, industry members, startups, investors, researchers, as well as numerous federal, provincial and municipal government players, who shared their ideas and explored how AI is transforming the Canadian economy. An event of this magnitude posed quite a logistical challenge, one that was met with flying colours by SCALE AI's partners. NATIONAL's mandate was to promote ALL IN in the media and among politicians, which led to the creation of two dedicated zones during the event: the Media Zone and the Political Zone.
The Media Zone
A space was set up to allow participants to make media announcements, produce content or take part in interviews. It was a central location where many journalists had privileged access to podcasts recorded on site, to various partner announcements, as well as having the opportunity to conduct interviews with experts and business leaders. Thanks to its expertise in dealing with the media and its strong experience with clients in the AI sector, the efforts of the NATIONAL team generated significant media attention with more than 650 mentions in Canada alone. A total of 103 representatives from more than 60 different media outlets in 6 countries participated in this first edition of the event. A targeted strategic approach enabled the organising team to attract the interest of a wide variety of journalists who came to cover the largest AI event in the country. Reports and articles in major media such as The Logic, The Hill Times, Betakit, La Presse, Radio-Canada and the National Post not only helped to raise the profile of the event and its ecosystem, but also enabled participating companies to take advantage of the unparalleled enthusiasm for artificial intelligence and its application in business.
The Political Zone
Round tables and events focusing on the dynamics and future of artificial intelligence in Canada were also organised as part of ALL IN. These events saw the participation of all levels of government: provincial, federal and municipal, and helped bring politicians closer to industry players and discuss the needs and challenges of the AI ecosystem. The event was attended by Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada, François-Philippe Champagne, Canada's Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, Pierre Fitzgibbon, Quebec's Minister of Economy, Innovation and Energy, Minister Responsible for Regional Economic Development, and Minister Responsible for the Metropolis and the Montréal Region, who also visited the booths of the 100 best Canadian startups at ALL IN. Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante also gave a speech at the opening of the event.
The importance of more effective regulation and better governance of AI to ensure responsible, fair, and equitable access to AI was also discussed. The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne made a very important announcement in this respect, presenting the Canadian government's code of practice for generative AI. This code of practice, implemented on a voluntary basis by Canadian companies, has already been signed by a number of leading companies at the event, showing the way towards a more responsible application of AI and ensuring its development while mitigating the risks. The Policy Zone illustrates the ongoing commitment of SCALE AI and its partners to strengthening government relations and placing Canada at the forefront of AI innovation.
A successful collaboration
Teaming up with SCALE AI and its partners, NATIONAL collaborated to create the largest event dedicated exclusively to AI in Canada, bringing together nearly 2,300 people on site and 2,500 online, from 20 different countries. Canadian business leaders and leading researchers discussed the key challenges of AI applications in areas such as healthcare, finance, manufacturing, supply chain management, retail and the environment, demonstrating how AI can revolutionise these sectors and improve the lives of Canadians. This demonstrates the vitality of the AI sector and how ALL IN can become an incubator for innovation and showcase Canada's best AI practices to the world. SCALE AI has also announced that the event will return atautomne 2024.
