Cohere and Bell Canada Partner to Deliver Secure Homegrown AI Solutions to Canadian Businesses and Government

Canada’s Leading AI Startup Cohere Partners with Bell to Deliver Sovereign AI Solutions

Cohere Inc., a top Canadian artificial intelligence startup, has formed a strategic alliance with BCE Inc., one of Canada’s major telecom companies. The partnership focuses on offering AI tools built in Canada to both government and business clients, supporting the country's efforts to strengthen its sovereign AI capabilities.

Bringing AI Closer to Canadian Organizations

The collaboration will make Cohere’s AI technologies, including large language models and its agentic AI platform, accessible through Bell Canada’s AI data centres and fibre network. This integration aims to improve operational productivity and efficiency for organizations without compromising data security or privacy.

Bell Canada recently launched the Bell AI Fabric, a nationwide network of AI-focused data centres starting with a supercluster in British Columbia. This initiative aligns with Canada’s sovereign AI strategy, which emphasizes using domestic resources to safeguard economic and security interests amid increasing global competition.

Securing Canada's Position in AI

Cohere has positioned itself as a leader in Canadian AI by securing high-profile clients such as the Royal Bank of Canada and Toronto-Dominion Bank. The partnership with Bell further strengthens its presence in the domestic market.

The startup has also actively engaged with policymakers to influence AI regulations and secure government contracts. Recently, Cohere signed an agreement with the Carney government to implement AI tools in public sector operations and to support AI safety research alongside organizations like the Canadian AI Safety Institute (CAISI) and the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (CIFAR).

Investment and Infrastructure Developments

• Cohere will receive up to $240 million through Ottawa’s Sovereign AI Compute Strategy to expand AI compute capacity domestically.
• The company has partnered with CoreWeave, a cloud provider from New Jersey, to establish a new data centre in Cambridge, Ontario.
• Founded in 2019, Cohere initially grew by serving international clients such as Oracle, Dell Technologies, SAP, and Fujitsu.
• Recent expansions include a deal with Second Front Systems for U.S. national security AI services and the opening of an office in South Korea.

Bell’s AI Integration and Industry Investments

Under this partnership, Bell Canada employees will gain access to Cohere’s agentic AI platform, North, enabling tailored solutions that drive efficiency throughout the organization.

Both Bell and Telus have recently committed significant investments in AI infrastructure to solidify their roles in the Canadian AI sector. For instance, Telus is constructing data centres powered by Nvidia chips, with the first facility launching in Rimouski, Quebec, this summer. Over the next five years, Telus plans to invest more than $15 billion in network and AI infrastructure across British Columbia.

These moves demonstrate Canadian companies’ dedication to building domestic AI capabilities that support secure, efficient, and compliant technology adoption.

Executives looking to understand how AI partnerships like Cohere and Bell’s can influence organizational strategy and operational efficiency should monitor these developments closely. For those interested in expanding AI knowledge, resources such as Complete AI Training’s latest courses offer practical insights into AI tools and implementation strategies.