AI Competitiveness Project
Producing pragmatic, actionable policy options to strengthen Canada's long-term competitiveness as AI reshapes our economy, national security, and society
The AI Competitiveness Project is hosted at the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy at the University of Toronto. The project brings together researchers, policymakers, and industry leaders to examine how Canada can strengthen its position in the global AI landscape while preserving its sovereignty and values.
New Report - March 2026
Sovereign by Design: Strategic Options for Canadian AI Sovereignty
Sean Mullin and Jaxson Khan
Canada's AI sovereignty is under threat. A handful of companies dominate the foundation model and cloud infrastructure layers, and critical hardware supply chains operate outside domestic control. But Canada still has options to strengthen our capacity, reduce foreign leverage, build partnerships, and modernize our institutions. However, the time to act is short.
Sovereign by Design lays out strategic options for Canadian AI sovereignty based on analysis of multiple layers including cloud infrastructure, compute hardware, data, and governance. The paper argues that Canada's core challenge is not a lack of AI capability but a failure to convert research excellence into sovereign industrial capacity and infrastructure. Further, the paper makes the case that the window for action is narrowing as global investment decisions harden into long-term commitments.
The report offers concrete policy options across procurement, security classification, regulation, and public investment, treating AI not as a single sector but as critical national infrastructure that cuts across every domain from health care to defence.
Meet the team
Senior Fellow, Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy
Senior Fellow, Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy
Founding Director, Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy