Put the AI in CanAIdian
A snapshot of Canada’s emerging artificial intelligence space and where to get support for your ideas

Canada has emerged as a leader in the artificial intelligence space, and I recently learned about a few companies that are using AI in cool areas and unexpected applications bringing innovation to such fields as the pet industry, Fintech and even the legal field.

A bot for your pet
If you have always wondered what your pet is up to while you are out working and want to take it one step further than your home security system, this cool new toy is for you. A robot recognizes your dog, over a stray cat or other things, and can distribute treats and take selfies of your pet and send them to your smartphone while you are away or at work.  Great for pet lovers, check it out at http://petbot.com/

Talk to your bank 2.0
Hailed as the new interface of consumer banking, this innovative chat bot system Finn.AI can sit on any mobile banking application and functions as an intelligent personal assistant. No longer will be forced to call your bank. Just chat with the bot on the other side and let them help you with your money management. It can tell you about your spending habits and provide useful information such as: How much did I spend on gas last month?” Learn more at http://finn.ai/

No more boring reading
When a University of Waterloo student was faced with the problem of reading a 1500 page text book in 48 hours for an exam, out of frustration, he decided to create Knote. Simply put, this is a platform to review documents and summarize volumes of data to summarize and access important information.  While the benefit for students is obvious, what could this mean for the legal profession? – Check it out at https://knote.me

Funding Great Ideas
Recognizing the need to support entrepreneurs, develop new businesses and the millennials as they take their shot at changing the world, the Trudeau government recently announced its budget and has listed skills development and innovation as a priority.  The federal government has decided to spend $1.18 billion on innovation in the Canadian economy. In addition to the Government, Angel investors and seed funding are becoming more and more popular in Canada, as well.

How Can My Startup Get Innovation Funds
When trying to reach out to the federal government you may need an engineering degree to navigate the system to find the money.  It is often well communicated in the papers, online, or on the news channels that funds are being delivered for innovation and development, but it is not always clear how to apply to receive those funds. The same applies for provincial governments.

Some resources have been established on the local level to help startups and innovators connect with funding, they include MaRS District in Toronto and Vaughan Business Enterprise Centre in Vaughan.  Other resources are available here: http://www.corelawyers.ca/free-resources/

New technology is usually met with uncertainty from a legal and regulatory perspective. Depending on how the new technology is applied, laws and policies come into effect over time. In the beginning, though, being compliant while developing a new technology or protecting intellectual property rights can be somewhat of a fluid concept and can bear certain legal risks. A business lawyer can provide valuable advice or continued counsel as this landscape changes ensuring that your contribution to the AI space is protected.