‘Canada’s edge in applied AI’ with Nvidia and Waabi leaders

This week, we have another special podcast for you, sharing one of the headline conversations recorded live at Homecoming during Toronto Tech Week (for which BetaKit was the official media partner).

“The talent here is incredible, right? When we started faculty, I walk in the class and there’s Jimmy Ba. Every time you guys train a neural network, you’re using his algorithm.”
Sanja Fidler

This conversation is all about AI, where it’s heading, and what role Canada might play in its future, featuring Waabi founder and CEO, Raquel Urtasun, Nvidia VP of AI research, Sanja Fidler, and moderator Mike Murchison, CEO of Ada.

Urtasun and Fidler are two Canadian immigrants who are also University of Toronto professors and Vector Institute co-founders, and get into some of the deep history of core AI technologies and how they started right here in our home country. They also share what attracted them to come learn and build in Canada.

But this episode isn’t all theory; it’s about applied AI. So pay special attention to what Urtasun says about the need for a government strategy on physical AI to help get her autonomous vehicle tech on Canadian roads. You’ll also hear why the tech these two AI leaders are most excited about going forward involves not chatbots, but robots—alongside a lot of factory automation opportunities.

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, Overcast, Pocket Casts, RSS

So, what is Canada’s edge in applied AI?

Let’s dig in.

PRESENTED BY

The BetaKit Podcast is presented by KDD 2025: the world’s leading conference on Knowledge Discovery and Data Mining.

Looking to stay ahead in data science and AI? Join us at KDD 2025 and connect with top researchers, industry pioneers, and innovators driving real-world impact.

At KDD 2025, you’ll explore cutting-edge research, gain insights into practical applications, and expand your network with global leaders shaping the future of data and AI. Whether you’re in academia, tech, business, or research, this is the conference you don’t want to miss.

Feature image courtesy Jon Fingas for BetaKit.