As the G7 Summit wrapped up in Kananaskis, Alberta, on Tuesday, leaders of the world’s top economies pledged to boost the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) in government and small businesses, while also committing to collaborative efforts in the development of quantum technologies.
In a joint statement issued on AI, G7 members agreed to work together to accelerate AI integration across the public sector to enhance government efficiency and improve services for citizens and businesses. Canada, which holds the G7 presidency this year, will take the lead by hosting a series of “rapid solution labs” aimed at identifying and addressing barriers to public sector AI adoption.
As part of the agreement, member nations will also develop a roadmap for implementing successful AI projects and share open-source, scalable AI tools across governments. Another major focus is ensuring access to AI tools for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), with the G7 recognizing these businesses as the “engine of our economies.”
The leaders acknowledged AI’s rapid growth could strain national power grids and raise sustainability concerns. “We recognize that increased AI adoption will place growing pressure on our energy grids, produce negative externalities and have implications for energy security, resilience and affordability,” the statement read. The group also committed to expanding AI access and support for developing countries struggling to keep up with the global technology race.
In a separate joint statement, the G7 released a “common vision” for quantum technologies — marking the first time quantum has taken center stage at a G7 meeting. The group emphasized the transformative potential of quantum tech in sectors like finance, health, energy, agriculture, and communication, while also cautioning that its development could carry profound implications for national and international security.
The G7 plans to establish a joint working group to oversee collaboration and policy development in the quantum space. Florian Martin-Bariteau, a University of Ottawa expert on technology and society, called the move a “huge advance” for such a strategic technology still in its early stages.
With artificial intelligence already reshaping the digital economy and quantum technologies on the horizon, the G7’s commitments highlight a growing sense of urgency among leading nations to shape the ethical, secure, and inclusive adoption of emerging innovations.