Canada’s Opportunity to Lead on AI Policy and Data Governance at the 2025 G7 Summit
Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping fields from healthcare to climate science. Central to this transformation is data—its platforms and circulation—which now serves as critical infrastructure. As Canada prepares to host the 2025 G7 Leaders’ Summit, it stands at a pivotal moment to influence global AI governance.
Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government has made AI and digital innovation a national priority. The appointment of Evan Solomon as minister of artificial intelligence and digital innovation signals serious intent. However, ambition must be matched with concrete actions that have impact domestically and internationally.
Building the Backbone: Infrastructure Intelligence
Breakthroughs in AI often grab headlines, but the real progress depends on the underlying computing infrastructure and data systems. Canada’s plan to develop “next-generation data centres” aims to provide the essential foundation for AI that is competitive and ethically governed.
AI applications—such as drug discovery, clean energy, and materials science—require immense computational power and vast, well-structured datasets. These data must be validated and, when possible, made accessible to researchers and developers. For example, Ontario’s electricity demand is projected to increase by 75% by 2050, largely due to electric vehicle production and data centres supporting AI workloads.
Data Quality over Algorithmic Gimmicks
Recent research shows that the effectiveness of AI relies more on the quality and accessibility of data than on algorithmic complexity. Poorly labelled, fragmented, or siloed data can introduce bias, degrade performance, and pose risks, especially in health and safety domains.
Currently, many valuable datasets remain locked behind proprietary barriers or lack proper documentation. This benefits monopolies but not the broader society. Canada’s G7 presidency offers a chance to lead by developing a framework for ethical, accessible, and well-curated datasets, focusing on areas like health, climate science, and materials research.
Sector-Specific Data Needs
Open data initiatives should reflect the unique requirements of different sectors. For healthcare AI, anonymized patient records, genomic information, and drug response data are essential. Climate AI depends on long-term environmental data, satellite imagery, and emissions monitoring. Materials science AI requires detailed chemical and physical testing data.
All these datasets must be ethically sourced, high-quality, and interoperable across borders. Canada can play a key role in developing the digital, legal, and diplomatic frameworks that enable this collaboration.
A Clear G7 Mandate
As G7 host, Canada can push for a global commitment that includes:
- Common standards for open datasets, shaped by input from AI developers, healthcare experts, climate scientists, materials researchers, and legal professionals.
- Trusted data hubs managed by public-private partnerships or non-profit organizations to ensure security, privacy, and public access.
- Coordinated legal and diplomatic efforts to facilitate cross-border data sharing, address intellectual property issues, and establish ethical governance.
These steps would position the G7—and Canada specifically—as leaders in promoting AI aligned with democratic values alongside commercial and geopolitical interests.
Canada’s Current Position and Challenges
Canada is not starting from zero. It hosts leading AI research centres like the Vector Institute and Mila, and has advanced open science efforts such as the Montreal Neurological Institute’s Tanenbaum Open Science Institute. Platforms like AIRCHECK and initiatives like the CACHE competition demonstrate Canada’s commitment to responsible AI development.
However, Canada risks losing this edge without scaling these initiatives and maintaining domestic innovation. The stalled Artificial Intelligence and Data Act illustrates the challenge. Meanwhile, the European Union is advancing its AI Act and data regulations, highlighting the need for Canada to solidify its legislative framework and proactive global strategy.
The Global Stakes
The AI competition is about more than building powerful models. It’s about setting the technical, ethical, and geopolitical rules that will guide the digital future. The 2025 G7 Summit offers Canada a moment to clarify its strategy. By investing in AI infrastructure and leading an international agenda on open, trustworthy AI, Canada can influence how these standards evolve.
For researchers and professionals in science and technology fields, engaging with these developments is vital. A strong, ethical data governance framework not only accelerates innovation but also safeguards public trust.
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