From: British High Commission
Ottawa
The race for supercomputing power is heating up globally, with
nations recognizing its pivotal role in training the next
generation of AI models. Canada and the UK have emerged as
leading players in this field, with a shared vision to harness
the potential of AI for the benefit of society.
To further solidify this partnership, the SIN Canada team
organized a high-level inward mission to the UK (15-18 July 2024)
aimed at deepening collaboration in the dynamic field of AI
compute. The Canadian delegation visited the UK with the aim of
gaining invaluable insights into the UK's supercomputing
landscape. This mission was underpinned by the Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) signed in early 2024 by the UK and
Canadian governments, which established a cooperative framework
for future collaboration in AI compute.
The delegation, comprised of some of the most senior officials
from Innovation,
Science and Economic Development Canada, Board level
representatives of Canada's world-leading AI institutes (MILA, Amii,
and Vector), as well
as CIFAR, Communications Security
Establishment, and the Digital
Research Alliance of Canada. The program was packed with
visits to cutting-edge facilities like Isambard-AI in Bristol
and the exascale project in Edinburgh. Offering a firsthand
experience of the UK's supercomputing capabilities and these
complex and technical programmes.
A core focus of the mission was to understand the policy
development behind the UK's compute investments, exascale
investment and the AI Research Resource. In April 2024, Prime
Minister Trudeau announced Canada
investment of CA$2 (£1.2) billion to launch a new AI Compute
Access Fund and Canadian AI sovereign compute strategy. As the
sector develops, officials are keen to learn from the UK's
experience in building such large-scale infrastructure.
Additionally, the delegation sought insights into the UK's
project management and procurement approaches, access policies,
and strategies for addressing the challenges of energy
consumption associated with supercomputing – sustainable
infrastructure is one element of the MoU.
The mission also provided an opportunity to explore the UK's
approach to AI safety and security. Meetings with the UK National
Cyber Security Centre and the AI Safety Institute were crucial in
understanding the measures being taken to mitigate risks
associated with AI development. British and Canadian cyber
security centres including endorsing the UK's Guidelines for
secure AI system development. Beyond technical discussions, the
delegation engaged enjoyed in high-level networking events,
including a cocktail reception at the Royal Society and a lunch
at Canada House. These events facilitated valuable dialogue with
key stakeholders in the UK AI ecosystem.
One participant said:
… It was a masterfully organized and assembled group of visits in
a whirlwind format. The mission achieved more than I anticipated
in terms of breadth and depth of topic areas, tours, knowledge
sharing. To say that the visit was inspirational would be an
understatement. Rather, having seen what is possible and underway
in the UK, I would venture to say that it has motivated a
re-evaluation of what we believe could be possible, not only in
Canada, but also in what partnerships and cooperation might be
sparked between Canada and the UK in the realm of AI, compute
infrastructure, and AI safety. It truly brought to life the true
spirit of the UK-Canada MoU …
This SIN Canada-led inward mission marks a significant step
forward in the Canada-UK AI collaboration. By sharing knowledge
and best practices, both countries can accelerate their progress
in developing world-class supercomputing infrastructure. The
ultimate goal was to create an environment where AI research and
innovation can flourish, driving economic growth and addressing
societal challenges.
As the world becomes increasingly reliant on AI, partnerships
like the one between Canada and the UK will be essential for
shaping the future of this transformative technology. There will
likely be a return visit in February 2025 to further cement
UK-Canada AI collaboration and strengthen connections between UK
and Canadian AI experts.
