Montreal is a hub of artificial intelligence (AI) with the presence of Mila, the Quebec Institute of Artificial Intelligence. But beyond lab research, more and more Canadian companies are jumping on the AI adventure and trying to profit from it.
Posted at 8:00 a.m.
Brand new equipment capable of easily collecting data, cameras and sensors installed at different strategic locations to collect other types of information: the Kruger sanitary paper factory was built in Sherbrooke in 2019 to take advantage of the best technologies. No less than 600 million have been invested there.
“We started our major project to integrate artificial intelligence into our supply chain in June, and it will span 18 months,” said Mathieu Laroche, director, data, analytics and artificial intelligence at Kruger.
There are many expectations.
Depending on the demand forecast, we will be able to optimize the production schedule, know what parameters to enter into the machines so that the production immediately reaches the best possible quality, do preventive rather than reactive maintenance, then eventually we can also manage finished products and transport.
Mathieu Laroche, Director, Data, Analytics and Artificial Intelligence at Kruger
If these improvements had been made at Kruger before the onset of the pandemic, he says, they would have put the company in a much better position to deal with the sudden meteoric rise in demand for toilet paper in the world. Quebec!
PHOTO MAXIME PICARD, LA TRIBUNE
The Kruger plant in Sherbrooke is a good playground to start using artificial intelligence.
At the moment, the new Sherbrooke plant is a good playground to start using artificial intelligence, but Kruger does not intend to stop there.
“We will learn a lot in Sherbrooke, we will see what improvements that can be made using artificial intelligence are really worthwhile and then we can deploy them on other sites,” explains Mr. Laroche.
Quebec takes the turn
Like Kruger, more and more companies in the country now understand the value of AI to improve efficiency. Jean-François Plante, a professor specializing in applied artificial intelligence at HEC Montréal, is well placed to see this. He gives the training “Big data and artificial intelligence (AI): strategic assets for your company” at L’École des Directeurs and observes a great evolution in the level of knowledge of the participants.
Going back two years, executives were still wondering what AI was and what they could do with data. Now, they have often already done some training in the field, they have ideas and they have launched projects.
Jean-François Plante, professor specializing in applied artificial intelligence at HEC Montréal
20-30% of Canadian companies have actively tested AI, according to Julien Billot, CEO of Scale IA, Canada’s innovation supercluster dedicated to improving the AI supply chain . “It’s not bad, but it’s a lot less than in the United States and China, where about half of the companies have actively tested it,” he says.
However, Quebec stands out in the country. “We are currently in discussions with a hundred companies to carry out projects and about half are in Quebec,” says the CEO of Scale AI, which is headquartered in Montreal.
To do one’s homework
Investing in AI, however, requires reflection and upstream work to obtain interesting results. “The idea is not to buy gadgets, but to meet business needs,” says Mr. Billot. We also discuss a lot with the management of the various companies to improve their projects. It is a collaborative work and the solutions developed are tailor-made. »
Currently, Scale AI is supporting around 40 projects in Canada with a total investment value of nearly $300 million.
“They are in all sectors, from retail to transport, including health and energy, lists Mr. Billot. The types of use are also very varied, from forecasting demand to optimizing storage. »
However, he notes that these companies have one thing in common: a visionary leader who decides to invest in the field.
And once a company stands out in an industry by integrating artificial intelligence, it inspires others to do the same. Thus, we see a ripple effect that pulls companies upwards.
Julien Billot, CEO of Scale IA
Life is increasingly digital and Professor Plante is convinced that this is not about to change.
“AI tools have become very popular and if the competition can use them, it is certain that we are harming ourselves as a company if we do not take the trouble to analyze their relevance,” he says. It’s not about doing AI for the sake of doing AI, but understanding how the tools available can make the business more efficient, more profitable, and take it to the next level. »
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- Global research center
- McGill University and the University of Montreal have more than 250 researchers and doctoral students in fields related to artificial intelligence, making it the largest artificial intelligence university community in the world.
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