Canadian Government Signs AI Partnership with Cohere to Modernize Public Services

The Canadian government has entered into a memorandum of understanding with Toronto-based AI company Cohere to explore the use of artificial intelligence in public sector operations, aiming to enhance efficiency, productivity, and service modernization. This partnership focuses on integrating Cohere's large language models to automate tasks like transcription and summarization, reflecting Canada's strategy to leverage AI for a more effective public service and to build commercial AI capabilities for domestic use and export. The agreement, signed by AI Minister Evan Solomon and Government Transformation Minister Joël Lightbound, is part of a broader government initiative to use AI to improve operations while maintaining national competitiveness in the digital era. Cohere, which recently raised $500 million at a $6.8 billion valuation, is also collaborating with the Canadian AI Safety Institute on research and safety, underscoring a commitment to responsible AI development. This collaboration builds on a prior June partnership emphasizing AI research and safety, demonstrating a sustained governmental focus on AI adoption. Despite legal challenges from U.S. media companies over copyright infringement claims, Cohere continues to position itself as a key player in Canadian AI innovation for both public and private sectors.