AI in health: Montréal’s strategic edge

A well established LSHT sector

Greater Montréal ranks among the top 10 LSHT hubs in North America. With over 55,000 jobs and 1,600 companies, including global leaders like Moderna, Novartis, Merck, Sandoz, Pfizer, and Zimmer Biomet, this critical sector of our economy thrives with strong vitality.

What attracts foreign investors? Our robust research and development capabilities, world-class educational institutions, highly skilled workforce, the presence of numerous support organizations and venture capital investors, as well as some of the most competitive operating costs among the top 20 metropolitan areas in Canada and the United States.

Additionally, there are well-established expertise in highly specialized fields such as cell and gene therapies, precision medicine, biopharmaceuticals, medical technologies… and AI!

Montréal, a global hub in AI

You’ve likely heard of Greater Montréal’s stellar reputation in AI, thanks to the expertise of world-renowned researchers like Yoshua Bengio. But what truly sets us apart?

Our metropolitan region hosts the largest university community dedicated to deep learning at Mila, the Quebec Institute of Artificial Intelligence, with over 1,400 experts committed to scientific excellence. Montréal is also home to SCALE AI, Canada’s AI supercluster specializing in supply chains, and IVADO, the largest AI consortium in the country.

Montréal stands out for its dynamic and collaborative environment that fosters innovation, as well as its large pool of talent in information technology and related fields.

A wide variety of companies, including giants like Google, Microsoft, Meta, and Samsung, are leveraging AI to innovate in their respective industries. These factors make Montréal a true hub for companies looking to integrate artificial intelligence into their operations.

In Montréal, AI-driven solutions are being developed across several cutting-edge sectors, including automation, financial technologies (fintech), clean technologies, and LHST.

AI applied to health

Montréal has what it takes to stand out in the field of AI applied to health, thanks to a strong concentration of expertise in artificial intelligence and LSHT. Several foreign companies, including Roche, Novartis, Amgen, Insilico Medicine, and Recursion Pharmaceuticals, are already leveraging Montréal’s expertise in IT and AI to accelerate their research and development programs.

Foreign direct investments in AI applied to health supported by Montréal International during the 2019-2023 period totaled CAD 148 million. How is AI transforming the field of health? The applications are numerous.

Drug and therapeutic treatment discovery

AI adds significant value to biopharmaceutical companies developing new drugs and treatments. It enables, among other things, the processing of vast amounts of biological, clinical, and genomic data, facilitates the identification of therapeutic targets, and accelerates the discovery of potentially beneficial molecules for treating certain diseases.

Personalized health

AI enables the analysis of patient data, such as medical history, test results, and genetic information. Using advanced algorithms, it can identify patterns and trends, helping doctors recommend tailored treatments that meet the specific needs of each individual.

Telemedicine

AI simplifies remote care. Tools like chatbots facilitate symptom assessment and patient triage. It also enhances appointment management and remote monitoring, allowing for the anticipation of certain health issues. These innovations make care more accessible and strengthen prevention.

Other applications

AI is also used in the analysis of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), ultrasounds, and X-rays, allowing for faster detection of abnormalities with increased accuracy. It is also applied in clinical trials to facilitate participant recruitment and analyze data in real-time, improving the efficiency of studies and the quality of results.

A promising field

The interest of pharmaceutical companies in AI is undeniable. Some have already integrated it into their processes, while others are actively exploring how to adopt it to optimize their operations.

Recognized as a global hub in AI, Greater Montréal offers an ideal environment for foreign companies in life sciences and health technologies (LSHT) looking to leverage this technology in their research and development efforts. We consistently highlight this significant advantage to our industry stakeholders. Combined with the strength of our LSHT ecosystem, Montréal is exceptionally well-positioned to attract more foreign investments in this field.