Supported by more than $5.6M in total federal funding, the initiative aims to accelerate practical AI adoption for Prairie-based small and medium enterprises to compete on the global stage.
EDMONTON, AB, (October 27, 2026) — Amii (Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute) is expanding its regional AI adoption program with the additional support of $2.5 million from Prairies Economic Development Canada (PrairiesCan). Bringing total federal investment in the initiative to $5.6 million, the expansion equips small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba with Amii’s world-leading machine learning (ML) expertise needed to scale AI capabilities, accelerate growth, and compete globally.
The additional funding allows Amii to partner directly with 25 new Prairie businesses. With initial engagements already underway across energy, agriculture, and manufacturing sectors, limited capacity remains available for Prairie-based SMEs looking to de-risk AI development by partnering with Amii.
A robust innovation ecosystem depends on equipping Prairie-based SMEs with the practical AI tools and capabilities needed to scale competitive Canadian businesses. Thanks to PrairiesCan’s renewed investment, we can continue to strengthen our regional hub of innovation, create local opportunities, and empower businesses across the Prairies to scale their impact and drive long-term prosperity across Canada.
Cam Linke
Amii CEO
Alberta is a global hub for innovation, driven by world-class researchers, entrepreneurs, and organizations like the Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute (Amii). As artificial intelligence continues to create new opportunities, our government is investing in the people, partnerships, and technologies that demonstrate the strength and the leadership of Alberta and the Prairie Provinces. This additional support will strengthen the AI ecosystem across the region, accelerate the commercialization of cutting-edge research, and help businesses adopt innovative solutions that drive productivity, economic growth, and high-quality jobs.
The Honourable Eleanor Olszewski
Minister of Emergency Management and Community Resilience and Minister responsible for Prairies Economic Development Canada (PrairiesCan)
Through hands-on Advanced Technology Projects, Prairie-based SMEs work alongside Amii’s scientists and embedded project ML residents to co-create bespoke AI architectures while building critical internal expertise. This collaborative model ensures complete technology and IP transfer, giving regional businesses the in-house capabilities needed to maintain their own operational systems, scale rapidly, all while keeping high-value innovation, talent, and IP anchored in the Prairies.
Real-World Impact Across the Prairies
Since the initial launch in 2024, Amii has partnered with 30 regional SMEs to optimize operations, scale capabilities, and commercialize new AI solutions. Proven success includes:
)
How Amii Transfered World-Class Reinforcement Learning Expertise to Alberta’s Energy Sector
Deployed Amii’s world class expertise in advanced reinforcement learning to optimize unpredictable gas well operations, driving down operational costs, lowering methane emissions, and establishing long-term AI capabilities within their engineering team.
Among the early beneficiaries of the PrairiesCan support is Riva, an enterprise software provider based in Edmonton.
Amii helped us move from ideas to production-ready solutions while equipping our team with processes that continue delivering value long after the project's completion. This PrairiesCan investment accelerated our AI roadmap, strengthened Alberta's innovation ecosystem, and positioned Riva to deliver value to our customers much sooner than planned.
Victoria, George, VP of Product, Riva.
The collaborative support from Amii and PrairiesCan address a proven demand for practical AI adoption across the Prairies. By empowering regional SMEs to innovate and scale locally, the initiative continues to strengthen communities, support high-growth SMEs, and drive sustainable economic growth across Canada.