AI 101: A Saskatchewan non-profit’s goal to boost AI literacy for 10,000 people

With Ottawa’s commitment to boost national AI usage, a Saskatchewan non-profit is working to improve AI literacy for 10,000 residents. Allison Bamford reports.

SASKATOON - While Ottawa has set specific goals to boost the use of artificial intelligence through its recently announced national strategy, a non-profit in Saskatchewan is hoping to do its part in educating the public.

Artificial Intelligence Saskatchewan (AiSK) is developing a course to teach the basics of AI to 10,000 people.

“It is really kind of an AI 101 that teaches the fundamentals,” said AiSK founder, Alex Fallon. “What is AI? What are some of the tools? What are some of the safeguards to watch for?”

AiSK was formed in 2024. The group is made up of more than 160 members dedicated to growing the use of AI in the province.

“Providing people with the opportunity to learn about AI gives them the chance to decide for themselves to what extent they want to use it in their home life and in their workplace,” Fallon told CTV News.

The new courses, which will launch in October, are meant to bridge the gap in AI literacy, he added.

Fallon believes the goal of teaching 10,000 people is attainable. He hopes to reach it by the end of 2027, although there is no official timeline.

“We know there is the demand,” he said. “We have seen large, medium and small companies reach out wanting to get involved.”

The program follows the release of Ottawa’s national AI strategy unveiled last month. The federal government set goals of making Canadians more AI literate, while boosting the number of businesses that use AI from 12 per cent to 60 per cent by 2034.

Mark Daley, chief AI officer at Western University, said the target is very reasonable.

“The economic incentive is there for for-profit and not-for-profit entities to adopt AI to become more efficient, and to help them meet their objectives,” Daley told CTV News.

“Eight years from now, I think most firms will be using AI.”

AI literacy is a spectrum and due to the complexity of it, it can be challenging to develop literacy skills, Daley added.

“It is not like learning to use a chef’s knife. There is a right way and a wrong way to do that,” he said.

“AI is a general-purpose tool, so imagining that there is a single type of training that will get you everything is probably not realistic.”

Canada ranked 44th of 47 countries in AI training and literacy, and 42nd of 47 in trust in AI systems, according to a global trust study by KPMG and the University of Melbourne.

“Canadians in general are quite literate compared to the global population, but also a little bit hesitant,” Daley said.

However, hesitancy is a sign of literacy, according to Daley. It means Canadians understand enough of AI to be able to think critically of it.

“The solution for hesitancy and fear is education,” he said.

“If you understand what it is you’re dealing with, then it is easier to integrate that into your life in a way that is positive.”