Did you hear? The federal government is building the first public AI supercomputer. It will be owned and operated in Canada, thankfully, and it will power innovation across every sector, from healthcare to clean energy to startups scaling here at home, as AI Minister-bot Evan Solomon announced on Wednesday.
A bold new initiative
This program, part of the Canadian Sovereign AI Compute Strategy, will enable the development of large-scale, Canadian-based compute infrastructure to advance AI research and innovation, while safeguarding Canada's national interests, a government press release explained. These systems will form a core part of Canada's digital backbone, enabling breakthroughs in areas like health care, energy, advanced manufacturing and scientific discovery.
Full disclosure
I am an anti-AI crank. I am sure it is not just a fad, but I really want it to be. I am even more sure that when the federal government gets anywhere near an IT project, especially with a $2 billion budget, the risk of catastrophic failure is high. However, they are looking for competent people to make it happen, not trying to do it purely in-house, so it could be worse.
Frankly, though, I am all for giving Public AI Supercomputer a try at running the whole country: health-care policy, energy policy, any policy really. It could only do better than the humans are doing, surely. It is like when people worry about self-driving cars: Have you seen the way human beings drive cars? Do not threaten me with more safety!
It would also be highly entertaining to see the horrified looks on politicians' faces as Public AI Supercomputer committed various heresies. If Public AI Supercomputer is worth anything, it would see through Canada's various ridiculous self-imposed problems in a millisecond, and using very little computing power.
Hypothetical Q&A
Q: Public AI Supercomputer, how can we improve military procurement?
A: Well, your shipbuilding strategy seems inordinately focused on spreading jobs around Halifax, Quebec City and Vancouver as opposed to actually procuring ships. Instead, you should consider more efficient policies, including from foreign shipyards.
Solomon: Eep.
Q: Public AI Supercomputer, how can we make life more affordable for Canadians?
A: Well, to pick one example, supply management is a needless tax on consumers. Furthermore, there are not enough dairy farmers in any one riding to justify the clout the dairy industry wields in Ottawa.
Solomon: Prime minister, I am so sorry.
Q: Public AI Supercomputer, how can we incentivize more rental developments?
A: Well, most economists agree that rent control is an anchor on development.
Toronto Star: Public AI Supercomputer is MAGA.
Q: Public AI Supercomputer, how can we improve Canadian health care?
A: Well, in Sweden, you have to pay a modest amount for a visit to the doctor, which is capped at ...
Solomon: Power off, power off!
It seems very inefficient to have 13 different health cards in a country of only 41 million people.
