Tuesday, 02 January 2024 12:17 GMT

Spotting Cancer In Real Time? AI To Save Lives, Not Replace People: Canadian Minister


(MENAFN- Khaleej Times)

When a Toronto neurosurgeon uses artificial intelligence to detect cancer cells in real time, the technology does more than impress - it saves patients from undergoing a second surgery. In another Canadian hospital, emergency room doctors are treating 30 to 40 per cent more patients thanks to AI-powered scribes that automatically record consultations.

These, according to Evan Solomon, Canada's first Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation, are the kinds of changes that prove AI's impact is already tangible.“It's not about replacing people,” he told Khaleej Times.“It's about improving outcomes without adding pressure on human workers.”

Recommended For You

During an official visit to Abu Dhabi, after speaking at a Gitex 2025 panel, signing a Memorandum of Understanding with the UAE Investment Minister, Solomon said Canada's experience shows how innovation in public services can unfold responsibly.“These stories from Canada mirror what we are witnessing here in the UAE,” he noted.“Artificial intelligence is quietly transforming lives - not through science fiction, but through practical innovation.”

Parallel paths in AI leadership

The minister noted how both countries were among the earliest to treat AI as a national priority.“The UAE was the first country to have a minister of artificial intelligence,” he explained.“Canada started its first national AI strategy back in 2017 - and now I'm the first minister of AI, so we have a lot in common."

Canada's model is built around trust and accountability - an approach that Solomon said echoes the UAE's emphasis on ethics and governance.“We're both focused on how to make technology work for people, not the other way around.”

The speed of innovation - and of trust

Calling this period a“hinge moment” in global technology, Solomon warned that governments must move quickly but carefully.“Technology moves at the speed of innovation,” he said,“but adoption moves at the speed of trust.”

Canada has created a 30-day AI Strategic Task Force to refresh its national AI strategy two years ahead of schedule. The group is consulting researchers, educators, and industry experts to balance growth with safety.“We have to build fast, but we have to build right,” added the minister.“If people don't trust it, they won't use it.”

UAE as a global AI hub

Solomon's comments came as the UAE cements its reputation as a magnet for AI infrastructure and capital.“The UAE has become one of the most sophisticated global players in AI investment and infrastructure. It's scale, capital, and ambition are attracting the world's best minds - and that's why collaboration between our countries is so important.”

He added that both nations share a belief in technological self-reliance.“Canada needs to own the tools and rules of the digital age,” he said.“The UAE understands that instinct - to build rather than rent your future.”

Recent regional developments underline his point. Reuters reported that the UAE's Stargate AI campus, a 200-megawatt facility dedicated to AI compute, will go live next year, while Nvidia and Abu Dhabi's Technology Innovation Institute recently launched a joint AI and robotics lab in the capital.

Digital sovereignty and economic independence

Solomon highlighted Canada's push for digital sovereignty - the idea that nations must control their own data, infrastructure, and intellectual property.

“Digital sovereignty is not optional - it's the most pressing democratic issue of our time,” he said.“Canada must own its data, its infrastructure, and its destiny.”

He argued that countries relying on external data systems or cloud services risk dependency.“We can't be a branch plant or a farm team for other economies,” he said.“We need an independent backbone of infrastructure, talent, and legal frameworks.” That message resonates in the UAE, where national AI programmes emphasise local data storage, Emirati-led R&D, and domestic compute capacity - goals both sides see as complementary.

Several Canadian technology firms are already operating in the UAE. “Only four countries in the world have major language models, and Canada is one of them,” he pointed.“Cohere is very active in the region, and by opening an office here, they are really accelerating their deepening relationship.” He also cited OpenText and Core42 as examples of collaborations that go beyond investment.“These relationships are about innovation,” he said.“They're about solving shared challenges.”

A new MoU signals next phase of cooperation

Following his meeting in Abu Dhabi with UAE Minister of Investment Mohammed Hassan Al Suwaidi, Solomon announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding on AI and digital infrastructure cooperation.“This builds the framework for a relationship around digital infrastructure and artificial intelligence - a more dynamic partnership that's going to move very, very quickly.”

The agreement will focus on expanding cross-border investment in data centres, research collaboration, and the commercialisation of AI tools developed by startups in both countries.“We're in a hinge moment of history,” Solomon concluded.“The challenge is to make technology work for people - and partnerships like the one between Canada and the UAE show how we can do that.”

MENAFN15102025000049011007ID1110199065



Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.