Anurag Deepak

Random Thoughts : Today, the weather is miserable ... A thought that came to my mind... How do we help new comers and immigrants to break into the Canadian style of "networking"? - There are many organizations to advance women, new comers, BIPOC communities members - There are many mentors and mentees waiting to meet each other Roadblocks: - New comers who are unaware of the connections available - Organizations which do not sponsor their employees e.g. government - Non profit which do not have outreach to new comers - Membership fee to enable networking is too high for new comers or new graduates - Lack of free events to enable networking . Just a quick research: A $150 membership , $250 golf tournaments, $80 for networking events or annual events around $250 per person are show stoppers for most new comers/ women with low income or government workers, unless their companies pay for it. Maybe it is time for free memberships and networking events for new comers, new graduates, mentees and mentors. For example; Asians Without Borders which provide 100 percent free membership, coaching and networking events. just a random thought... #freemembershipformentees #freeconnectionfees #advancewomen #advancenewcomers ps. As a retired easy-worker, I chose to mentor new comers and women on a personal basis versus paying for membership.

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A SAIT Success Story from a proud graduate of the #Integrated #Artificial #Intelligence at Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT) From International Student to Full-Time #Developer & #Educator: Moulya Pradeep says: "With nearly 9 years of professional experience in IT software development, I decided to enhance my knowledge in #AI and #data —the future of tech. That goal brought me to #Canada as an #international #student, and I chose to study at SAIT, a decision that changed my life. From day one, I was all in. I was that student who sat in the front row, submitted every assignment on time, and asked questions—lots of them. My evenings were spent juggling a physically demanding part-time job, but I made sure my studies came first. What made the difference? I listened. Every time a professor or advisor said, “Go attend this event,” “Talk to people,” or “Try a coffee chat,”—I did it. I showed up. I spoke up. I followed every suggestion, no matter how small it seemed. And trust me: #people here are nice—they want to help you. All you have to do is ask. #Real-#World #Learning: The AI and Data Analytics program at SAIT gave me incredible hands-on exposure. I worked on several projects under the mentorship of Professor Jaspreet Gill, who supported me every step of the way. My capstone project with Tracerent, a Calgary-based construction tech startup, gave me practical, real-world experience. Though Tracerent couldn't hire me full-time, I didn’t stop. I attended every hiring event at SAIT—organized by the amazing Mr. Ali Moussa, who also gave me my first teaching opportunity as a part-time instructor in the #Software #Development department. That role boosted my confidence, and student feedback confirmed I was on the right track. I was not only teaching—I was also applying for jobs, attending events (with my own students!), and staying connected. #3 #Job #Offers & A #Full-#Time Role: SAIT’s internal job portal worked wonders. I received two offers through it, and one more through LinkedIn. Eventually, I joined MaxAssist® as a #Full #Stack #Developer—a role that aligned perfectly with my goals. To Current and Future Students: If you're wondering whether this path works—I’m proof that it does. 🔹 Listen to your instructors 🔹 Attend meetups, hiring events, coffee chats 🔹 Talk to people—networking matters more than you think 🔹 Apply what you learn in class, practically 🔹 Start early with your resume and interviews None of this is magic. It’s effort, consistency, and trusting the process. Today, I’m proud of the choices I made. I still have a long way to go, but I’m confident I’m on the right path—and I’ll always be grateful to SAIT, Professor Jaspreet(Jazz) Gill, and Mr. Ali Moussa for believing in me and guiding me forward." Cherie Bowker Jessica Whiting Sarah Fillier SAIT School for Advanced Digital Technology Kim Noble #SAIT #InternationalStudents #SoftwareDevelopment #AI #DataAnalytics #CareerGrowth #NetworkingMatters

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Accessibility Standards Canada has published the revised Employment Standard CAN/ASC-1.1:2024 (REV-2025). Check it out: https://lnkd.in/eSCzbAXC This updated edition promotes more equitable, accessible, and inclusive workplaces for all, including persons with disabilities. #Accessibility #Inclusion #EmploymentStandards #DisabilityInclusion

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As part of the Global Accessibility Movement (December 2025), initiated by CAP Technologies Pvt Ltd, we’ve taken the first formal steps to move accessibility from policy to *practice. Two Access to Information requests have now been officially filed with the Government of Canada. Request 1: Digital accessibility records → Accessibility assessments of government-used systems → Procurement accessibility requirements → Internal tools like HR systems, intranets, LMS platforms Request 2: Enforcement & penalties under the Accessible Canada Act → Notices of violation → Penalties imposed → Compliance orders and follow-up actions Scope: Last 3 years Cost: $5 per request Laws used: Accessible Canada Act + Right to Information Institutions approached: • Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat • Canadian Human Rights Commission This work is not advocacy and not audits. It is records-based research—asking the system to show how accessibility laws are actually implemented. Canada is the starting point, chosen deliberately for its transparency framework and mature accessibility legislation. I’ll be sharing: What the records reveal How policy translates (or fails to translate) into practice What this means for the accessibility ecosystem globally If you’re interested in accessibility, governance, digital systems, or evidence-based policy work, follow along. Most of this research and thinking will be shared here. #GlobalAccessibilityMovement #Accessibility #PolicyVsPractice #AccessibleCanadaAct #RightToInformation #DigitalAccessibility #Governance #InclusiveDesign

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Grateful for the support from the Ontario Centre of Innovation (OCI) and the Critical Industrial Technologies (CIT) program. This funding helps us move MartinAI from proven capability to real‑world scale, where it matters most. At its core, MartinAI is about trust in energy data. Utility bills and meter data are foundational to planning, compliance, cost control, and decarbonization, yet they’re often inconsistent, opaque, and hard to reconcile. MartinAI is being designed to manage, explain, and correct these issues by going deep into the data, identifying anomalies, and making sense of what doesn’t add up. We believe better decisions start with better data, and better data starts with transparency. If you care about making energy data a more trustworthy, reusable asset (and maybe enjoy going down the occasional rabbit hole), we’d love to have you involved as we bring MartinAI forward. Go to https://lnkd.in/g5CR9X7v to find out more. You can always reach out to me to connect on what we are up to. Let’s make energy data something people can actually rely on. 🐇⚡️ #ThankYouOCI #CIT #MartinAI #EnergyData #Utilities #AIinEnergy #DataIntegrity #CleanTech

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In this clip from our new podcast episode, Jason Shim, Chief Digital Officer of the Canadian Centre for Nonprofit Digital Resilience | Centre canadien pour la résilience numérique, highlights the growing awareness of AI across the sector and underscores why organizations must be mindful of data security when exploring new tools. Hear more from Jason Shim and other subject matter experts - listen to the full episode! 🎙️ https://okt.to/s8I72r #CVConnects #podcast #CVPodcast #nonprofitpodcast #nonprofit #charity #nonprofitcanada #charitycanada #nonprofitsector #sme #podcastlife #spotify #amazon #podcaster #podcasting #interview #podcasts #podcasthost #philanthropy #charities #network #association #foundation #Canada #leadership #AI #ArtificialIntelligence

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In 2025, Responsible AI fluency will define your competitive edge. Thrilled to share that Skills4Good AI and Canada Learning Code, with their CEO Melissa Sariffodeen, are leading a national effort to close Canada’s Responsible AI skills gap. - June 11: AI & the Future of Work – Live National Keynote - June 18: 7-Day Responsible AI Starter Course – 10 minutes a day, self-paced Both complimentary initiatives are designed for non-tech professionals ready to lead — not lag — in the Age of AI. One registration. Two powerful AI upskilling opportunities. Register now: https://lnkd.in/gpUkQkui #Skills4GoodAI #AIUpskilling #DigitalFluency #FutureOfWork #CanadaLearningCode

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Open source is one of the strongest catalysts for economic growth, and this new report on Canada’s AI opportunity really resonated with me 🇨🇦 Despite early leadership in AI policy, funding, and institutions like Mila - Quebec Artificial Intelligence Institute and University of Toronto, Canada still faces challenges in commercialization. Open source AI can help close that gap, lowering barriers to entry, accelerating adoption, and enabling more sovereign, secure innovation. Worth the read if you care about the future of AI in Canada. #OpenSource #AI #Canada

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Canada faces a significant challenge that often goes unaddressed. Despite being the most educated country in the G7, it still needs to better it's stance in AI preparedness and industry ready application. Fact Check : - Canada Ranks 44th out of 47 countries in AI literacy (KPMG) - 42nd in trust in AI systems (University of Melbourne) - Only 30% of the workforce is "digitally prepared" for work (Salesforce/ICTC) - 60% of workers are facing AI-driven job transformation (Statistics Canada) What’s particularly alarming is that while 93% of business leaders are piloting AI initiatives, only 2% are experiencing a return on investment. what's todays Context in contrast : - AI roles offer salaries that are 56% higher than comparable jobs (PwC) - The global demand for AI talent surpasses supply by 3.2:1 - The skills gap is projected to cost $5.5 trillion by year-end (IDC) - Women make up 51% of the workforce but only represent 28% of AI roles So, who is stepping up to close this gap? Not policy papers or corporate training programs that merely check a box. We are :) IWIL Ignite is a global initiative focused on #AI literacy, #digital skills and aims to bridge that gap through workforce readiness for students, professionals, and organizations. With a mission to educate 500,000 individuals across Canada and India by 2030. We have trained and incubated more than 50000 Professionals and 300 Corporate leaders alongside 250 Tech start ups. Access to AI literacy should not be determined by your postal code, paycheck, or privilege. Learning from leaders who aren’t just talking about AI they’re applying it every day #agenticAI. Join us for a powerful conversation and a Industry ready Program for students, Professionals and Start ups on the Future of Work and AI . Register here : https://lnkd.in/gAVZgp4Q Sharon (Shaghayegh) Shahrokhi Tehrani Kerris Hougardy, MBA Vidya Srinivasan Scott Macklin, Ph.D. Stephanie R. Anna Perelyhinan Anuj Sayal Tanay Shinde Ruchi Gupte Pragya Verma Rita Ng Mobin Khalilirad, MBA Sachin Verma Mrinaal Sayal Gyaneshwari Sinha Tiwari Umar Tauheed Mukesh George Abhishek Biswas Vivek Kumar Aishwarya Jain Rabab BELJEBBAR Charu Anand Anita Rai #futureofwork #IWILignite DigiBC - The Creative Technology Association of British Columbia Government of British Columbia DigitalCanada.io FutureSkills Prime Canada Digital Adoption Program | Programme canadien d'adoption du numérique Vector Institute Innovate BC City of Surrey City of Burnaby City of Vancouver Surrey & White Rock Board of Trade WorkBC.ca RBC Borealis The University of British Columbia Simon Fraser University Kwantlen Polytechnic University Brenda Locke Linda Annis

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I couldn't agree more with the insights shared by Krish. The recent G7 Summit has indeed highlighted the critical importance of responsible and inclusive AI adoption, and I am excited by Canada's leadership in this area. In addition to the areas Krish has identified, I am particularly interested in the commitment to building workforce resiliency. Upskilling and preparing workers for AI-driven transitions will ensure that everyone is equipped to thrive in the digital age. As a result, developing a compendium of best practices for human-centered, safe, and secure AI adoption in the workforce is critical. Engaging Canada’s workforce in tech and AI initiatives is essential for boosting productivity and fostering growth. I believe that by working together, we can harness the power of AI to enhance efficiency, drive innovation, and create a future where every Canadian benefits from the advancements in technology. #Canada #AI #TechLeadership #G7Summit #WorkforceResiliency #Upskilling #Innovation #ResponsibleAI #Accenture

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🚀 IBM + Confluent: Powering Real-Time AI & Automation for Canada’s Banks and Government! 🇨🇦 IBM has announced its intent to acquire Confluent for $11B, bringing one of the world’s most advanced real-time data streaming platforms into the IBM ecosystem. Why is this a big deal for Canadian banking and government? Because real-time, connected data is the foundation for AI-driven services and automation—and many organizations still face challenges with siloed data across clouds, data centers, and legacy systems. This acquisition bridges that gap. By combining IBM’s #HybridCloud, AI, and automation stack with Confluent’s real-time #DataStreaming platform, here’s what it means for Canada: 🏦 For Banks & Financial Services • Real-time AI for fraud detection, personalized customer experiences, and risk management. • Event-driven automation for faster loan approvals, compliance checks, and operational resilience. 🏛️ For Public Sector & Government • Reliable data flow for citizen services, smart city initiatives, and digital identity programs. • Improved governance and data sovereignty with hybrid cloud flexibility and open-source foundations. ✅ Why it matters now Canada is accelerating digital transformation in both banking and government. This move enables organizations to shift from experimentation to production-grade AI and automation at scale, powered by continuous, trustworthy data streams. Excited to see how IBM + Confluent will help Canadian banks and public sector agencies lead the next wave of innovation! #IBM #Confluent #AI #Automation #HybridCloud #DataStreaming #BankingInnovation #GovTech #DigitalTransformation #CanadaTech

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Did you know that their is $2 billion set aside for AI startups in Canada? Who Can Participate in the AI Compute Access Fund? Eligibility Criteria To participate in the Government of Canada’s AI Compute Access Fund, applicants must meet all the following criteria: - Canadian-Registered Business - Must be a for-profit company incorporated and operating in Canada. Consortiums may apply, provided the lead applicant is eligible. - Small or Medium-Sized Enterprise (SME) Status Must have fewer than 500 full-time equivalent (FTE) employees. - Active AI Development Must be actively developing AI products or services, with a concrete pathway to commercialization. - Canadian R&D Team Must maintain a research and development (R&D) team based in Canada, and conduct project activities within Canada. -Revenue or Investment Stage Must be revenue-generating or have secured at least Series A financing (demonstrating investor interest). -Compute Services Agreement Must have contracts, invoices, or documentation for compute services in place or in progress at the time of application (final agreement must be established before funding is granted). -Clear Commercialization Plan Must present a realistic plan to bring AI products or services to market, outlining milestones, target customers, and scale-up strategies. -Special Provision for Indigenous Businesses Ineligible Applicants -Non-Canadian businesses. -Companies with 500 or more FTE employees. -Non-profit organizations. -Companies not involved in AI product or service development. -Organizations lacking a Canada-based R&D presence. -Entities without revenue or a minimum of Series A financing. -Applicants unable to substantiate current or imminent use of compute services for AI.

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My "inner nerd" immediately lit up reading this piece by Sandra Lapointe for Canadian Collaborative for Society, Innovation and Policy. As someone studying applied math, it is clear to me that if your "map" is too simple, your policy will fail. We have been trying to manage a Complex Adaptive System (our society) using basic linear math, which is like treating a living ecosystem as a simple machine. This is exactly why I founded The Human Puzzle. We are moving past "equilibrium" models to design the integrated systems like science, policy, and computation that are actually required to solve our most complex challenges. It is time to upgrade the toolkit.

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How do we accelerate Canadian cancer research while keeping patient privacy 100% secure?  The answer is Federated Learning. This privacy-first AI approach allows healthcare institutions to collaborate on complex ML models without ever sharing or moving sensitive data. Working in the public sector digital space, it’s incredibly rewarding to see technology solving real-world, life-saving challenges while maintaining absolute trust and data governance.  Read the full story: https://lnkd.in/ehmPYQU5

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As of today, just four countries openly publish how AI is used in their public services. Zero have a complete, cross-sector register covering public and private AI systems. Across the entire world, only one regional AI Act even requires such a register. For a technology moving this fast, this level of transparency is nowhere near enough. Are we finally ready to fix that—or are we content to stay behind the curve?

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Most organizations are still treating AI as a software rollout instead of an operating model shift. I think this may be why so many AI projects generate excitement internally but limited measurable impact. The firms seeing stronger results appear to be doing something different: they are redesigning workflows, decision-making structures, and team responsibilities alongside the technology itself. In professional services especially, this matters. AI can speed up repetitive work, but if approval layers, fragmented systems, and outdated processes remain unchanged, the productivity gains often stall quickly. The Bank of Canada recently noted that AI is transforming tasks more than replacing workers at this stage, while several major consulting and accounting firms are now restructuring teams around AI-enabled workflows rather than standalone tools. The competitive advantage may not come from “using AI.” I believe, it may come from redesigning how work actually gets done. #AI #BusinessStrategy #Operations #ProfessionalServices #WorkflowEfficiency Food for thought: Organizations are still overcomplicating some business process today. https://lnkd.in/g4ZtcifW

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I have been very fortunate to lead AI transformation alongside some of the largest enterprises in Canada, and there’s one overarching learning that is key to adoption: Encourage curiosity at all levels of the organization, and empower access and enablement of AI tooling. Humans are incredibly creative and resilient, and when given the breathing room of a safe space, we will figure out how to drive productivity with AI and champion our own role evolution. I see this time and time again. And by the way, when I say all levels, people often assume I am emphasizing IC levels. It couldn’t be further from the truth. ICs live and breathe their flow of work, and they’re always looking to optimize. Often, it’s the seniormost leaders in an enterprise that need the hands-on push to have that ‘aha!’ moment.

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