Artificial intelligence adoption and productivity in Canadian firms

https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/36-28-0001/2026004/article/00002-eng.htm

Publish Date: 2026-04-22 03:00:00

Source Domain: www150.statcan.gc.ca

Growing Adoption of AI in Canada: AI adoption among Canadian firms has doubled in the past year with 12.2% of firms currently using AI and 14.5% planning to adopt within a year, reflecting significant growth in technology adoption across sectors.
Predictors of AI Adoption: Firms with strong complementary capabilities such as R&D, cloud computing, data analytics, advanced robotics, and ICT training are more likely to adopt AI. For example, firms employing data analytics have a 15.0 percentage point higher AI adoption rate than those not using data analytics.
Impact of AI on Labour Productivity: Initial results suggest AI adopters show higher labour productivity, but this is largely due to pre-existing productivity levels and the integration of complementary capabilities rather than AI adoption alone.
Role of Complementary Investments: When complementary capabilities—like R&D, cloud computing, and robotics—are considered, the direct impact of AI on labour productivity decreases markedly, illustrating that the full productivity benefits of AI likely come from broader innovation and digital transformation efforts.
Short-Term Productivity Growth: There is no significant relationship between AI adoption and immediate, short-term productivity growth.
Implications for Policy: Policymakers need to focus on creating a supportive ecosystem for AI, including infrastructure, skills development, and research, rather than just facilitating AI adoption as a standalone measure. The most productive use of AI depends on coordinated efforts across various sectors and capabilities.