Nearly nine out of ten Canadian organizations are using generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools, with more than 85% running experiments with the technology. In 2025, Generative AI has emerged as a top investment focus, according to new research from Access Partnership in collaboration with Amazon Web Services (AWS). The study, surveying 424 Canadian IT decision-makers, shows businesses no longer view AI as merely experimental but as a strategic imperative for competitive advantage.
This rapid acceleration maintains a strong focus on responsible implementation. The study reveals nearly 90% of organizations either already have guidelines for responsible generative AI use or will develop them in 2025. When selecting AI tools, more than a third consider responsible AI guardrails a key decision factor, highlighting their commitment to ethical deployment alongside innovation.
AI joins security as top investment priority
These findings highlight how Canadian businesses consider generative AI to be as essential as cybersecurity—both fundamental components of a modern digital strategy. The data shows 42% of IT decision-makers rank generative AI tools as their top 2025 budget priority, while 34% prioritize security solutions. When selecting which AI tools to adopt, ease of integration into existing workflows emerged as the most important factor, cited by 60% of respondents, highlighting organizations' focus on technologies they can rapidly deploy without disrupting established processes.
The Rise of the Chief AI Officer
Canadian companies are creating a new seat at the C-suite table, as generative AI becomes a strategic priority. More than half of surveyed organizations have already appointed a Chief AI Officer (CAIO) to lead generative AI deployment, with another 23% planning to do so by 2026. This leadership evolution reflects how companies are establishing dedicated AI leadership roles to stay competitive and meet the growing demand for strategic AI direction across their operations.
Currently, almost nine in ten organizations lack a formal change management strategy to help employees navigate an AI-transformed workplace. This number will decrease to about 32% by 2026, showing organizations increasingly recognize the importance of supporting their workforce through this technology transition.
Addressing the Talent Gap
Having an AI-skilled workforce is no longer a luxury —it’s a necessity. Canadian organizations ran an average of 35 generative AI experiments in 2024, but expect only 14 to move to production in 2025. Four in 10 organizations have successfully moved beyond proof-of-concept stages to production, but the shortage of skilled generative AI workers presents a significant challenge to wider implementation.
To address this gap, nearly 70% of organizations plan to upskill their existing workforce. Half have already developed generative AI training plans, with another 18% finalizing plans by the end of 2025.
Organizations recognize training alone won't bridge the skills gap completely. Nearly 90% plan to hire for roles requiring generative AI skills in 2025, indicating a surge in demand for AI talent across Canadian industries.
Building versus buying: A hybrid approach
Most organizations take a blended approach to AI implementation rather than exclusively building or buying solutions. Only about one in five plan to deploy solutions developed entirely in-house from scratch in 2025.
Instead, about a third will deploy out-of-the-box generative AI applications, while just over half will build custom applications on pre-existing models and slightly less than half will build on fine-tuned models.
This pragmatic approach extends to implementation partnerships. While less than one in five will rely exclusively on third-party vendors for 2025 generative AI deployments, about half will combine external expertise with in-house teams, recognizing successful AI deployment requires both external knowledge and internal capabilities.
Looking ahead
As Canadian organizations advance their AI journeys, this research reveals a clear path forward: responsible implementation, workforce development, and pragmatic technology deployment will drive generative AI's full potential.
Organizations that successfully navigate these elements will leverage AI not just as a productivity tool, but as a catalyst for innovation and competitive advantage in our increasingly digital economy.
To learn more about how Canadian organizations approach generative AI adoption, download the full report and view the infographic.
