Why Canada’s AI Adoption Is Slow Despite World-Class Talent — With Reem Gedeon | EP 22

Canada produces world-class AI research talent — yet enterprise adoption still lags. In this episode of Insight On, Reem Gedeon, SVP and General Manager of Insight Canada, breaks down why that gap exists and what leaders can do next. You’ll hear why ‘AI sovereignty’ can’t be reduced to where a data center sits, why governance matters if people are already using AI personally, and why Canada’s path to ‘winning’ runs through small and midmarket businesses. Key takeaways include a practical planning cadence (three-year direction, annual plans, quarterly check-ins) and a more useful ROI narrative that goes beyond cost reduction to quality and client impact. Subscribe for more conversations with leaders shaping technology decisions that impact people, budgets, and outcomes. Jump right to…  00:00: Welcome and the core question  00:02: Canada’s top AI talent, exported  01:10: The productivity myth: faster, more work  02:33: AI as a decision and comms tool  08:31: Why adoption lags, culturally and structurally  10:33: The talent paradox: create it, don’t retain  15:44: AI sovereignty: checkboxes vs real control  20:03: Stop waiting for the perfect AI strategy  23:43: Planning in the AI era: quarterly proof  25:04: Measuring AI ROI beyond cost reduction  21:52: Winning for Canada: SMBs, trust, clean energy  24:55: CEO mandate: learn, lead, upskill