AI Roadshow Canada 

Event Details

Agenda

Toronto, 23 September 2024

All times in EDT

8:15 am

Registration & Breakfast

9:00 am

Welcome from Public Sector Network

9:10 am

Welcome from the Chairs

Greg Fitzgerald, Director, Ontario Public Sector, Microsoft Canada
Sherief Ibrahim, GM, Business Applications Solution Leader – Small, Medium and Corporate, Microsoft Canada
Event EMCEE: Eric Leduc, Canada Data & AI Lead, Avanade
Greg Fitzgerald, Director, Ontario Public Sector, Microsoft Canada
Sherief Ibrahim, GM, Business Applications Solution Leader – Small, Medium and Corporate, Microsoft Canada
Event EMCEE: Eric Leduc, Canada Data & AI Lead, Avanade

9:20 am

Government Keynote

AI as a Policy Supporter: Leveraging Intelligent Systems for Informed Decision Making

Morella Aguiree, Director, Strategic Policy and Research Branch, Ministry of Red Tape Reduction
Nick Vani, Manager, Policy Development Unit, Ministry of Red Tape Reduction
  • Leveraging AI for citizen-centric service delivery
  • Strategies for transforming service delivery in government
  • Enhancing citizen experiences through digital innovation in AI
Morella Aguiree, Director, Strategic Policy and Research Branch, Ministry of Red Tape Reduction
Nick Vani, Manager, Policy Development Unit, Ministry of Red Tape Reduction

9:45 am

Platinum Partner

Avanade Platinum Session: But First, Data: Preparing your Agency’s Data for AI

Eric Leduc, Canada Data & AI Lead, Avanade
  • Establishing data governance
  • Breaking down silos: integrating and securing your data for AI readiness and adoption at scale
  • Focusing on Ethical AI by ensuring compliance with privacy laws and maintaining ethical standards in development and deployment
Eric Leduc, Canada Data & AI Lead, Avanade

10:10 am

Government Keynote

Case Study AI in Utilities

Kalyan Chakravarthy, Chief Information Officer, Electrical Safety Authority
  • The Way Ahead for AI for safety authorities  
  • Case studies and projects of interest 
  • Partnering with Government to make AI in safety a reality 
Kalyan Chakravarthy, Chief Information Officer, Electrical Safety Authority

10:35 am

Gold Partner

Equinix Gold Session: Empowering Canadian Public Sector with Secure and Sustainable AI Infrastructure

Marc Mondesir, Managing Director, Equinix Canada
Dr. Kaladhar Voruganti, PhD, Senior Technologist, Equinix
  • Exploring the benefits of hybrid AI solutions for flexibility, scalability, and control
  • Aligning AI innovation with Canada’s climate goals and reducing carbon footprints in critical public services
  • Recognizing the value of public-private collaboration in accelerating AI adoption and driving digital transformation in public services.
  • Understanding how the Equinix-Microsoft Azure partnership enables compliant and secure hybrid AI infrastructure for the Canadian public sector
Marc Mondesir, Managing Director, Equinix Canada
Dr. Kaladhar Voruganti, PhD, Senior Technologist, Equinix

11:00 am

Morning Coffee Break

11:30 am

Roundtables

Roundtable Discussions

  • Roundtable 1: Sustainability in the Age of AI
  • Roundtable 2: The Fundamentals of Data for Efficient AI
  • Roundtable 3: Creating AI Models to meet the Needs of the Canadian Municipalities and Regions
  • Roundtable 4: Navigating AI Skilling and Training & Development
  • Roundtable 5: Moving from Pilot to Production: Creating an Ethical and Responsible AI Framework
  • Roundtable 6: Building Intelligent Apps with Generative AI
  • Roundtable 7: The Business Value for AI For Business Leaders
  • Roundtable 8: Managing Privacy, Risk, Security and Compliance using AI
  • Roundtable 9: AI for Healthcare: Addressing Future Health Challenges with Innovation
  • Roundtable 10: Leveraging AI to Address the Canadian Housing Crisis
  • Roundtable 11: AI in K-12/Higher Education

12:30 pm

Panel Discussion

The Road Ahead: The Future of AI in Canada

Moderator: Olivia Neal, Director of Government Digital Strategy, Microsoft Worldwide Public Sector
Fartash Haghani, Director of Enterprise Data & AI, City of Toronto
Nazanin Esmaili, Director of Insights, Analytics and AI, Metrolinx
Emma McGarry Ware, PhD, PMP, Manager, Innovation Office of the CAO, Strategic Initiatives, The Regional Municipality of Durham
Olia Carpova, Director, Operational Excellence, High Frequency Rail (HFR)

A forward-looking discussion with senior government officials, industry leaders, and academics on the next steps for AI in government, sustainability efforts, use case identification, and more! 

Moderator: Olivia Neal, Director of Government Digital Strategy, Microsoft Worldwide Public Sector
Fartash Haghani, Director of Enterprise Data & AI, City of Toronto
Nazanin Esmaili, Director of Insights, Analytics and AI, Metrolinx
Emma McGarry Ware, PhD, PMP, Manager, Innovation Office of the CAO, Strategic Initiatives, The Regional Municipality of Durham
Olia Carpova, Director, Operational Excellence, High Frequency Rail (HFR)

1:15 pm

Keynote

Closing Remarks from the Chair & Networking Lunch

Ottawa, 26 September 2024

All times in EDT

8:15 am

Registration & Breakfast

9:00 am

Welcome from Public Sector Network

9:10 am

Extended Welcome from the Chair

Derek Dobson, Defence & Intelligence and Federal Public Safety Leader, Microsoft Canada
Lindsay Nubel, Federal Civilian Government Leader, Microsoft Canada
Event EMCEE: Eric Leduc, Canada Data & AI Lead, Avanade
Derek Dobson, Defence & Intelligence and Federal Public Safety Leader, Microsoft Canada
Lindsay Nubel, Federal Civilian Government Leader, Microsoft Canada
Event EMCEE: Eric Leduc, Canada Data & AI Lead, Avanade

9:45 am

Platinum Partner

Avanade Platinum Session: But First, Data: Preparing Your Agency’s Data for AI

Eric Leduc, Canada Data & AI Lead, Avanade
  • Establishing data governance
  • Breaking down silos: integrating and securing your data for AI readiness and adoption at scale
  • Focusing on Ethical AI by ensuring compliance with privacy laws and maintaining ethical standards in development and deployment
Eric Leduc, Canada Data & AI Lead, Avanade

10:10 am

Government Keynote

Identifying Use Cases and Securely Implementing Generative AI Solutions in GC

Daniel Lowcay, Generative AI Innovation Lead, Chief Digital Research Office, National Research Council Canada
  • Current AI use cases of interest and ongoing projects 
  • The Way Ahead for NRC: Lessons learned in deploying AI 
  • Generative AI Guidelines: Ensuring responsible use in your organization 
  • AI Zone: Implementing secure alternatives to consumer tools 
  • Use cases: Developing custom applications using LLMs as a building block 
Daniel Lowcay, Generative AI Innovation Lead, Chief Digital Research Office, National Research Council Canada

10:35 am

Gold Partner

Equinix Gold Session: Empowering Canadian Public Sector with Secure and Sustainable AI Infrastructure

Marc Mondesir, Managing Director, Equinix Canada
Dr. Kaladhar Voruganti, PhD, Senior Technologist, Equinix
  • Exploring the benefits of hybrid AI solutions for flexibility, scalability, and control
  • Aligning AI innovation with Canada’s climate goals and reducing carbon footprints in critical public services
  • Recognizing the value of public-private collaboration in accelerating AI adoption and driving digital transformation in public services.
  • Understanding how the Equinix-Microsoft Azure partnership enables compliant and secure hybrid AI infrastructure for the Canadian public sector
Marc Mondesir, Managing Director, Equinix Canada
Dr. Kaladhar Voruganti, PhD, Senior Technologist, Equinix

11:00 am

Morning Coffee Break

11:25 am

Roundtables

Roundtable Discussions

  • Roundtable 1: The Fundamentals of Data for Efficient AI
  • Roundtable 2: Creating AI Models to meet the Needs of the Canadian Government
  • Roundtable 3: Navigating AI Skilling and Training & Development
  • Roundtable 4: Building Intelligent Apps with Generative AI
  • Roundtable 5: The Business Value of AI For Business Leaders
  • Roundtable 6: Managing Privacy, Risk, Security and Compliance using AI
  • Roundtable 7: Trends/Future of Work and Copilot demos
  • Roundtable 8: AI in K-12/Higher Education
  • Roundtable 9: Evolving the Public Sector Contact Center for a Digital and AI-Powered Future

12:25 pm

Buffet Opens for Working Lunch

1:00 pm

Panel Discussion

The Road Ahead: The Future of AI in Canada

Moderator: Olivia Neal, Director of Government Digital Strategy, Microsoft Worldwide Public Sector
Audrey Nuk, AI Lead, Public Health Agency of Canada
Dhaval Shah, P.Eng, Director, Information Technology Services, Bank of Canada
Christos Sarakinos, Executive Director, Data Science and Innovation Division, Statistics Canada

A forward-looking discussion with senior government officials and industry leaders on the next steps for AI in government, use cases, upskilling needs, and how AI can transform the Government of Canada.

Moderator: Olivia Neal, Director of Government Digital Strategy, Microsoft Worldwide Public Sector
Audrey Nuk, AI Lead, Public Health Agency of Canada
Dhaval Shah, P.Eng, Director, Information Technology Services, Bank of Canada
Christos Sarakinos, Executive Director, Data Science and Innovation Division, Statistics Canada

1:40 pm

Closing Remarks from the Chair

Event Details