Shaping Manitoba’s AI Future Launch Event

On October 16th, 2024, we were thrilled to host our first-ever event, Shaping Manitoba’s AI Future, at the RBC Convention Center in Winnipeg. With 170 attendees and 50 people on the waitlist, the event was a massive success, reflecting the growing interest in AI across the province.

The purpose of the event was to officially launch MAAIP and start the conversation about how AI can shape Manitoba’s future across sectors like public services, agriculture, education, and business. We brought together a wide range of professionals eager to connect, learn, and discuss how Manitoba can become an AI hub.

Building Manitoba’s AI Community

The evening began with Gaetan Ruest, our MAAIP board member and MC, who set the tone with opening remarks about the importance of building a strong AI community. Gaetan emphasized the energy from various sectors and how this momentum will drive AI innovation here in Manitoba.

Our Board Chair, Roy McLaughlin, reflected on the incredible turnout and shared the mission of MAAIP:

“There is so much talent in this room tonight. And that is the point of MAAIP—bringing like-minded individuals together to share ideas, learn from each other, and work towards the common goal of making Manitoba an AI hub.”

Roy also thanked the hardworking MAAIP board members, whose dedication made this event a reality.

Keynote: The Future of AI

Our keynote speaker, Stephanie Pace, AI/ML Global Practice Director at Quantiphi, focused on the transformative potential of generative AI. She highlighted the incredible 3,000% growth predicted in the generative AI market, emphasizing the importance of building responsible AI systems. Her call to action for businesses? Prioritize fairness, transparency, and security as they adopt AI.

Panel Discussion: Shaping AI in Manitoba

A highlight of the evening was the panel discussion, led by MAAIP board member Loretta Kulchycki, Senior Vice-President, Product, AI & Digital Strategy at Canada Life. For 45 minutes, the panel explored real-world applications of AI across public services, agriculture, education, and business.

Tyler Gooch, Director of Innovation and Technology for the City of Winnipeg, discussed how the city is becoming a North American leader in open data, which is key to AI development.

“Open the data, and the AI will come. We’re already seeing it happen, and it’s setting Winnipeg apart as a leader in public sector AI adoption.”

Jacqueline Keena, Managing Director at EMILI, shared how AI is revolutionizing agriculture in Manitoba.

“AI is transforming the entire value chain, from crop insurance to marketing. The potential is enormous, and Manitoba is at the forefront of this transformation.”

David Gerhard, Department Head of Computer Science at the University of Manitoba, highlighted the role of education in preparing future AI practitioners and stressed the importance of ethical AI.

“AI isn’t just about optimizing processes. We need to ensure it’s applied equitably and ethically, addressing concerns around privacy, bias, and accessibility.”

Jeff Fettes, Founder and CEO of Laivly, shared how AI is changing the business landscape, especially in customer service.

“The companies that succeed with AI aren’t the ones trying to overhaul everything at once. They’re the ones red-circling two or three impactful areas, implementing AI, banking those wins, and then moving forward.”

Audience Engagement: Lively Q&A

After the panel, we opened the floor for an engaging Q&A session. Questions came from both the audience in the room and through QR code submissions. The conversation ranged from the ethical challenges of AI to practical ways businesses can start implementing AI today.

A Successful Beginning

The event concluded with Gaetan Ruest thanking everyone for making the evening such a success.

“Your enthusiasm and commitment tonight show that Manitoba is ready to embrace the AI revolution. We’re just getting started, and the future looks bright!”

As we continue to grow MAAIP, you can expect more events like this, where we’ll keep building the AI community in Manitoba and working together to shape the future of AI.

Looking Ahead

We’re excited for what’s to come. Keep an eye out for more opportunities to connect, learn, and collaborate as we grow the AI ecosystem here in Manitoba.

Thank You to Our Sponsors:

• Canada Life
• Quantiphi
• IGM Financial
• Caylent

Special Thanks to Our Event Volunteers

We couldn’t have pulled off this event without the support of our amazing volunteers:

• Alexandra Blinder
• Sanchit Shangari
• Daniel Krutikov
• Slava Blinder
• Alexandra Kovlev, our event photographer