Montreal: A leader in AI & Data Science

We often hear that we are in an “data-driven world.” And in an era fueled by data, the major Artificial Intelligence Hub of Montréal certainly presents one of the most exciting centers for innovation and progress in this space.

How are Artificial Intelligence and Data related?

The relationship between Big Data and AI is quite symbiotic. To put it simply, the more data AI is given, the better it performs. Humans do not have the capacity to manually assess large quantities of information, and AI requires this mass amount of information to function efficiently.

Montreal is a data expert’s dream. From hundred of millions of dollars in grants for major research institutions to events gathering data superstars from around the world to a growing integration into the vibrant startup community, here are 5 reasons why the city stands as a global data hub:

A leader in research

McGill University and Université de Montréal received 24% of the $900-million Canada First Excellence Research fund for their AI-related research efforts. With more than 250 researchers in the field and dozens of issued grants, Montréal boasts the largest AI Community in the world.

While universities typically work separately from the business community and thus face difficulties in applying research findings to the “real world,” IVADO, the Institute for Data Valorization based in Montreal, connects researchers and industry professionals to encourage collaboration between the two.

Key Players

IBM, Google, Microsoft, and Facebook are just a few of the major tech companies planting AI roots in the Montreal ecosystem. Each of these firms have opened up its own research lab dedicated to AI innovation, creating hundreds of jobs in data research and analysis.

A flourishing startup community

Such big names in the Montreal AI ecosystem fuel startups in the space. Element AI, a top player in the area, aims to make AI accessible, scalable, and transparent – a perfect environment for a junior data analyst. In sectors ranging from marketing to healthcare to speech analysis, AI startups are thriving, supported by teams of data analysts, scientists, and engineers providing the expertise to make it possible.

Bringing together industry and academic leaders

For the third year in a row, Montreal has been ranked the top host city in the Americas for international events. In the AI world, the city also stands as a top contender in this area. Notably, the World Summit Americas AI will take place in Montreal in April 2021. With attendees including Big Tech, investors, major business influences, and top-tier academics, Forbes has described this summit as “a global force for good, focusing the attention of the data science and business communities on how our most cutting edge tools can deliver a brighter future for us all.”

For everything data, Montreal excels in funding and accelerating collaboration and innovation through an ever-growing network of industry leaders and academic talent.

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