• Virtually all Canadian businesses embracing AI, with three-quarters qualifying AI as a strategic priority
• Data sovereignty is non-negotiable – Canadian businesses need their most sensitive data to stay in Canada
• Businesses face hurdles in AI adoption, including data quality, talent, and governance
• Environmental sustainability is a key driver for businesses choosing AI solutions

MONTRÉAL, Oct. 29, 2025 /CNW/ - According to a new study commissioned by Bell and conducted by The Harris Poll into how Canadian senior business leaders are approaching Artificial Intelligence (AI) adoption, data sovereignty is a non-negotiable requirement. With rising global and geopolitical pressures, nine in ten business leaders say it is more important than ever to keep sensitive data within Canada. Most plan to prioritize data sovereignty as their AI usage expands.

Enthusiasm for AI is high. Three-quarters of large businesses say AI is a strategic, enterprise-wide priority and more than half of leaders surveyed said AI will be core to their company's future. Today, businesses are using AI to enhance diverse areas of their business, from quality control and data analysis to customer service automation.

Confidence in Canada's AI potential is equally strong. 95% of business leaders say Canada is well-positioned to be a global leader in AI.

Nearly every large business anticipates their use of technology to grow over the next three years and nearly all plan to invest in AI in the next one to two years. Most of this investment will focus on research and development, suggesting that ambitions extend beyond productivity tools toward building proprietary capabilities. Nearly half of business leaders say their AI budgets are growing rapidly, pointing to significant growth potential in the coming years.

Despite this enthusiasm, barriers to adoption remain, including data quality and availability, a lack of skilled talent, and governance, risk and compliance concerns.

Environmental sustainability is also influencing AI adoption decisions. Nearly 80% of business leaders consider environmental sustainability very or extremely important when making AI adoption and scaling decisions. Large businesses, in particular, place great value on energy-efficient AI platforms.

Taken together, these findings show that Canadian businesses are poised to embrace AI, while balancing barriers to entry, data sovereignty, and sustainability.

"This research confirms what we're hearing from customers: Canada is well-positioned to be a global leader in AI, and data sovereignty is paramount. Canadian businesses are integrating AI with a focus on long-term value. Leaders are investing in R&D and thinking beyond off-the-shelf solutions – prioritizing research into proprietary use cases that will drive productivity and innovation within their organizations. This is Canada's AI moment. The decisions we make today will shape our country's competitiveness for years to come."

- John Watson, Group President, Business Markets, AI and Ateko, Bell Canada

• 95% of business leaders say Canada is well-positioned to be a global leader in AI, including 43% who say it is very well-positioned.
• Nine in ten business leaders state that global and geopolitical factors have increased the need to keep their data in Canada, with nearly half of large businesses saying Canadian data residency is one of their top three factors when selecting an AI infrastructure partner.
• 91% of businesses indicate they will prioritize data sovereignty as their AI usage expands, including 43% who say they definitely will.
• 94% of respondents are concerned that foreign government regulations may give access to data in environments that are managed by tech companies under their jurisdiction.

• 75% of large businesses say AI is a strategic, enterprise-wide priority. 56% say AI will be core to their company's future.
• The most common current uses for AI include: quality control (44%), data collection and analysis (39%), and customer service automation (35%).
• AI is most commonly deployed via licensed or purchased software for operations (68%), with 65% integrating it directly into products and services.
• Nearly all large businesses plan to invest in AI in the next 1–2 years, with R&D as the most common area of investment.
• Top challenges faced by businesses include: data quality and availability (46%), lack of skilled talent (43%), and concerns around governance, risk, and compliance (41%).

• 86% say energy-efficient AI platforms are valuable to their company.
• 79% say environmental sustainability is very or extremely important when considering future AI systems and usage.

Read the full report: https://explore.business.bell.ca/artificial-intelligence-spotlight/bell-enterprise-ai-study-future-ai

The Bell Enterprise AI Study was conducted by The Harris Poll Canada in October 2025. Data was collected from n=207 IT Decision Makers from large businesses (1,000 employees or more) across Canada, representing a mix of sectors and provinces. Respondents are described as "Business Leaders," indicating they are senior decision-makers with a role in IT and AI decision-making. References to "large" businesses refer to those with 1,000 – 4,999 employees, while "very large" businesses are those with 5,000+ employees.

Bell is Canada's largest communications company¹, leading the way in advanced fibre and wireless networks, enterprise services and digital media. By delivering next-generation technology that leverages cloud-based and AI-driven solutions, we're keeping customers connected, informed and entertained while enabling businesses to compete on the world stage. To learn more, please visit Bell.ca or BCE.ca.

1 Based on total revenue and total combined customer connections.

Media inquiries:
Audrey Hood
media@bell.ca

Investor inquiries:
Richard Bengian
richard.bengian@bell.ca

SOURCE Bell Canada (MTL)