AI for Decision-Makers in Advanced Manufacturing
Supporting strategic AI adoption in Canada’s manufacturing sector.
Project Overview
Updated May 9, 2025
The Problem
Canada’s manufacturing sector is at a critical point of needing to ensure global competitiveness and long-term viability. Despite Canada’s leadership in AI research and development, adoption within our manufacturing sector lags with only 3.7% of Canadian manufacturers using AI.1
How We Are Solving It
Led by Bold New Edge in collaboration with the Applied AI Institute, Concordia Centre for Continuing Education and CMC Microsystems; this project aims to accelerate AI adoption in Canada’s manufacturing sector.
AI for Decision-makers is an intensive 8-week training program that will target 200 participants across 150 Canadian manufacturing SMEs within manufacturing hubs like British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec to increase AI literacy and implementation of tools within their companies. The combined expertise of the program’s partners will equip leaders with the skills, tools and network needed to transform cutting-edge AI technologies into real-world outcomes through education, collaboration and applied learning. The program will include the following:
- AI-Based Development: Participants will learn to strategize and implement AI solutions tailored to their specific business challenges, fostering innovation, efficiency and competitiveness. The practical hands-on approach ensures they can leverage AI in practical applications like predictive maintenance, production optimization, Al-powered quality control systems, Generative AI-based development and agentic Al workflows.
- Maker-Led Workforce Transformation: Transforming leaders into AI strategists capable of aligning AI initiatives with business objectives. They will gain skills to evaluate AI solutions, craft ethical governance frameworks, and lead cross-functional teams, effectively becoming catalysts for organizational change toward a data-driven culture.
- Potential Impact on Employability: As decision-makers implement AI strategies, they will identify skill gaps and create new roles, expanding the workforce and enhancing organizational capabilities. This not only upskills existing employees but also attracts new technical talent, boosting employability within the sector.
- Community and Ecosystem Impact: The program will create a network of AI-ready leaders through peer-learning sessions and meetups, fostering innovation, best practices, competitiveness, and closing the gap between AI research and industry in Canada’s manufacturing ecosystem. Graduates will gain access to an alumni network, mentorship, AI resources and a shared Canadian knowledge base.
The program will also leverage the industry networks of NGen Canada, CMC Microsystems and Syntronic to reach Canadian manufacturing SMEs across Canada.
