The battle for global influence may soon extend beyond oil and minerals to include control over data and AI technologies. Health data and AI will drive future medical breakthroughs and transform healthcare systems worldwide. Advanced algorithms detecting cancers earlier, optimizing hospital resources, and speeding drug discovery could prove critical during pandemics or other health emergencies.
Canada’s Opportunity
For Canada, this presents both a risk and an opportunity. Prime Minister Mark Carney has warned that the global order is fracturing, pushing countries to rethink economic and technological sovereignty. Health AI belongs squarely in that conversation, but Canada cannot compete head-to-head with the United States or China in a brute-force race for AI dominance.
Instead, Canada should lead the creation of an ecosystem among middle powers for health AI, built on shared data governance and technology platforms. Canada already possesses one of the world’s most valuable health-data assets, an unexpected byproduct of its single-payer health system and diverse society.
Benefits of Diversity
Many existing AI systems are trained on relatively small and homogeneous populations, raising concerns about bias when applied elsewhere. Canada’s diversity means it looks more like the world than nearly any other jurisdiction, making it well positioned to build health AI that is globally relevant.
The landmark investment in health as “mission one” for Canada’s new AI for All Strategy is an ideal launch-point for reaching this ambition. However, Canada acting alone will not be enough, as the centre of gravity in AI development is consolidating among a small number of American and Chinese technology giants.
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Middle-Power Alliance
Emerging common data standards and “federated analyses” mean data do not need to leave a country to contribute to AI development. Algorithms can be improved through the diversity and size of data sets spanning multiple countries, while the underlying health data remain secure within each country’s borders.
A middle-power consortium could mitigate dependence on either the Americans or Chinese ecosystems and would have enormous financial consequences. The global health AI market is projected to exceed US$1-trillion within the next decade, offering Canada a rare opportunity to change its trajectory and lead on the world stage.
International health-data collaboration is also essential for better patient care, as more diverse multinational data sets can reduce AI bias and improve fairness. Shared AI systems could also have far-reaching consequences for the health system, from improving medical triage to strengthening pandemic preparedness.
In an era of worsening political division, health AI collaboration may also prove politically valuable and sustainable, as few issues command broader public support than improving health care. The infrastructure of 21st-century medicine is being built today, and Canada is well positioned to exert influence through coalition building and institution creation.
However, Canada cannot achieve this goal alone and needs to collaborate with other middle powers to build a more sustainable and equitable health care system. The use of emerging common data standards and “federated analyses” will be essential in achieving this goal, as it will allow data to be shared and analyzed without compromising security.
