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UK-Canada cooperation in AI compute: memorandum of understanding

Published 31 January 2024

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1. The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (“DSIT”) of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (UK), and Innovation, Science and Economic Development (“ISED”) Canada,

2. Acknowledging that AI represents a generationally important advancement in technology,

3. Understanding that compute — referring to processing power, memory, data storage and networking that is assembled at scale to tackle computational tasks beyond the capabilities of everyday computers — is an increasingly critical component of developing cutting-edge AI,

4. Recognizing that enabling AI researchers, scientists and the private sector to access the compute they need will be crucial to ensuring AI has a positive and transformational impact on our economies and societies,

5. Recognizing that the UK and Canada have leading AI ecosystems, strong and diversified science, technology and innovation relations, and extensive collaborations between academia, industry and government,

6. Acknowledging that international cooperation with like-minded countries on areas of strategic significance in AI is critical to ensuring the development of AI in a responsible and secure manner that will drive inclusive and sustainable economic growth;

We commit to continue to collaborate together on key areas of common interest:

  • Access to AI computing capacity: Exploring opportunities to support researchers and industry with secure and affordable access to the compute capacity needed to use and train AI systems. This could entail working both together, and with like-minded countries, on models for collaboration in the compute space and how collaborations could maximize industry/academic partnerships as well as  expand research networks.

  • Sustainability in compute infrastructure: Exploring joint opportunities and meaningful ways to reduce the environmental impacts of computing infrastructure. In recognition of the significance of compute in the development of AI, but also the significant resource requirements that are associated, promote increased energy efficiency within computing infrastructure and explore measures to reduce the associated carbon emissions and environmental impacts.

  • Collaborative AI research projects: Examining opportunities for collaborations on areas of shared strategic importance such as climate research and biomedicine.

  • Development of AI talent: Sharing information on initiatives related to skills development and advanced AI training that can accelerate workforce development.

7. Both Canada and the UK are committed to collaborating through the exploration of these areas of common interest. Details of this collaboration, including resource commitments and timing, will be finalised through ongoing co-development work.

8. We agree that this memorandum of understanding signalling our joint intent to collaborate holds no financial obligations and is not of a legally binding nature.

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