Artificial intelligence will once again be one of the main topics of the seventh NumériQC Week, which will be held in Quebec City from March 27 to 31. The event will bring together nearly 2,500 influential players from local and international digital industries at the Terminal – Port of Quebec. On the menu: advances, applications and current issues related to technologies. Overview.
A central theme
For the sixth consecutive year, artificial intelligence (AI) is one of the main themes of this annual event. Among other things, it will be a question of research and innovation, ethical issues related to AI as well as its effects on society. According to Alexandra Masson, Director, AI and Digital Solutions, at Québec International, one of the elements that sets the event apart is the diversity of its speakers and the desire for the meeting to lead to concrete results for them: “The idea is to put people who want to set up a project in contact by bringing industry and the research community together. For students, the event may eventually lead to employment. »
Pragmatism and AI in Quebec
According to data from Québec international, more than 80 companies are developing or using AI solutions in their daily activities in Québec. On the research side, more than 50 researchers focus on data analysis in AI algorithms in different sectors. According to Christian Gagné, director of the Intelligence and Data Institute at Laval University, Quebec stands out for its pragmatic approach to AI applications: “What characterizes us is the processing and enhancement of data in the real world. We are interested in the concrete contexts of AI, particularly in the industrial and robotics fields, which are natural strengths in Quebec. »
The future challenges of AI
AI could be broadly broken down into two main niches: language recognition (like ChatGPT) and image recognition (like Midjourney). Since the technology is dematerialized, the time elapsed between the emergence of an idea and its application is very short. This speed of implementation raises several questions: “We are living in a period where profound changes linked to technology are influencing our lives. Before, this kind of change took place over a generation. Today, things happen very quickly, which raises several questions on the legal and societal levels,” emphasizes Christian Gagné. He qualifies, however, by mentioning the proactivity of legislators in the field: “The decision-makers are aware that Quebec has a leading position in this industry, so we nevertheless note a desire on the part of the government to adapt quickly to the evolution of the industry. »
An event held here and elsewhere
NumériQC Week brings together several major organizations. This year, more than 2,500 professionals, business people, researchers and students are expected to attend. Among the delegations present in the capital, there are in particular several Franco-Canadian groups as well as groups from Belgium and France. In all, more than 150 speakers will present a series of conferences, discussions, panels and networking activities organized around 10 themes.