Canadian taxpayers now own a part of Cohere AI, what that means for digital sovereignty

Canada is moving toward “digital sovereignty” after investing up to $1.6 billion in Cohere, a Toronto-based AI company aiming to compete with major U.S. and Chinese players. Prime Minister Mark Carney said the stake would support “affordable, secure, sovereign AI, built in Canada,” and CEO Aidan Gomez called Cohere the largest AI company outside the United States and China. The government did not specify the ownership percentage, but the AI minister said it would give Canada a say in Cohere’s future. Cohere’s client base grew 20 times to 300 customers, and it says it will create 1,000 Canadian tech jobs. It also plans $4 billion in research and infrastructure by end-2031.