Bell and Cisco partner on sovereign AI infrastructure in Canada

Bell and Cisco have signed a memorandum of understanding to develop sovereign AI infrastructure in Canada. The partnership aims to combine Bell’s data centers and network capabilities with Cisco’s security and Sovereign Critical Infrastructure (SCI) technology. The collaboration focuses on creating a Canadian platform to support sensitive workloads for sectors such as government, banking, and healthcare, allowing organizations to maintain full control over their AI deployment.

Separately, Canada’s Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, Evan Solomon, has outlined a vision for the country’s AI sector. Highlighting that the industry is one of the fastest-growing parts of the Canadian economy, Solomon emphasized that safety and regulation are essential to building the public trust required for widespread adoption. He noted that government regulation is necessary because companies cannot be expected to regulate themselves, and pointed to healthcare as a key area where AI is already providing tangible benefits.