One of Canada’s largest and fastest-growing health networks, Fraser Health Authority in British Columbia, required the digital capacity and mobile accessibility to support a vast remote workforce. Intel Canada supported the organization’s implementation of a new IT platform, powered by Intel Xeon scalable processors, enabling up to 10,000 remote workers to deliver exceptional patient services.
This is just one instance of Intel Canada enabling innovation across the country. As Intel celebrates its 50th anniversary in Canada, the tech giant unveiled its latest Impact Report. It outlined Intel’s economic contributions, advancements in productivity for Canadian businesses, job creation, and collaborations with local organizations and academia aimed at driving positive impact through technology – both domestically and abroad.
In an engaging conversation with Techcouver, Denis Gaudreault, Intel Canada’s Country Manager, delved into the report’s findings and what lies ahead for the company in the region.
Tell us more about this Impact Report, its purpose and a couple of key findings.
DG: The Impact Report was commissioned by Intel and executed by Public First, a global business consultancy firm. It arrives as Intel Canada marks 50 years of innovation in the country and sheds light on Intel’s key role in digitization of Canadian businesses, advancing local innovation, as well as its contributions to the economy.
Remarkably, the research found that Intel’s technology contributes an estimated CAN $33 billion annually in higher productivity for businesses across Canada, fuelling economic growth and powering everything from personal computers to supercomputers like the one at the University of Victoria’s Research Computing Services unit. The report also highlights Intel’s influence on job creation, supporting approximately additional 7,500 Canadian jobs. In 2022 alone, Intel and its partners injected an estimated CAN $2.4 billion into the Canadian economy.
Intel’s substantial and ongoing investment in Canada is poised for growth in the years ahead. Could you elaborate on why Canada represents such an important strategic focus for Intel?
DG: Canada has long been a trailblazer with regards to technology and specifically AI, dating back to the 1970s, when researchers formed the world’s first national AI association. The country’s combination of talent, investment, and entrepreneurial spirit has enabled us to stand proudly on the global AI stage, while also presenting itself as a crucial market for Intel’s present and future endeavors.
Our strategic investment reflects the tangible impact of Intel’s operations, supporting various industries from education to financial services, environmental protection, healthcare, agriculture, and more. It enables us to actively participate in and contribute to the country’s technological advancements while also supporting economic development and fostering collaboration.
What is Intel’s perspective on the growth of AI in Canada?
DG: AI is set to redefine not just computing, but also many aspects of our lives across the globe, ushering in new economic prosperity based on sustainable, open, and secure computing. AI has already been at the forefront of medical, industrial, social, and technological change. But we have barely scratched the surface as to how AI can be built, deployed and scaled.
With the semiconductor market for AI predicted to grow substantially, Intel is heavily investing in designing and manufacturing hardware components and semiconductors specifically optimized for AI – including AI-related software applications, tools, and frameworks that harness the opportunities for enhanced efficiency, automation, and innovation.
This increased demand for semiconductors is at the heart of Intel’s global strategy and the new Intel Foundry business, where our Vancouver campus plays a key role.
Speaking of collaborations, could you share more details on partnerships with Canadian academic institutions?
DG: Intel values the synergy between industry and academia, continually seeking partnerships that advance innovation, while keeping the integrity of privacy, security, sustainability, and transparency.
An example of an academic collaboration is with University of Victoria’s Research Computing Services, which scaled up its cloud computing capabilities with almost 8,000 new Intel Xeon processor cores to meet researchers’ demands. This upgrade supports a broader spectrum of scientific research across Canada, enhancing the processing of large data sets and expediting significant scientific advancements.
Intel Canada also plays an instrumental role in the Strategic Research Network Computing Hardware for Emerging Intelligent Sensing Applications (COHESA). As a partner, they offer valuable industry insights on the practical application of new research, fostering a synergistic environment that unites academic and industry experts nationwide. The initiative involves over 20 esteemed academics from top Canadian institutions including the University of British Columbia and the University of Toronto.
And finally, given the current state of AI, what is the long game for Intel in Canada?
DG: Intel will continue to be a pivotal partner as Canada takes the lead in AI, connectivity, cloud infrastructure, and intelligent edge technologies. Our commitment to open-source innovation and collaboration with Canadian institutions is geared towards creating a better world for current and future generations.
With the ever-accelerating rate of digitisation across the economy, almost every sector stands to benefit from improvements to the technology stack. From healthcare to broadcasting, from manufacturing to agriculture and everything in between, the use cases for Intel technology are near infinite.
According to the Impact Report, over the next five years, Intel’s processors are projected to contribute an additional CAN $1.4 billion in economic growth. This projection keeps Intel focused on continually evolving to ‘Bring AI Everywhere’, all to the benefit of all Canadians, businesses, and individuals alike.
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