Quebec’s AI Initiatives Surge 54% in Public Administration

The number of artificial intelligence (AI) projects within Quebec’s public administration has soared by 54 per cent in under a year, with the health sector and higher education representing over half of the total initiatives. According to the Ministry of Cybersecurity and Digital Technology (MCN), the count of AI initiatives rose from 168 in October 2024 to a remarkable 258 as of June 2025.

Just over half of these projects are fully operational, while approximately 45 per cent remain in development. The MCN attributes this significant uptick to multiple factors, including enhanced accessibility and adaptability of AI solutions to the specific needs of public bodies. This shift aligns with the Quebec government’s priority of modernizing state services and advancing digital transformation.

Growth Factors and Government Support

The ministry noted that strengthened guidelines surrounding AI have bolstered confidence among public agencies. These guidelines provide a clear and reassuring framework for the development of AI projects. In December 2024, the MCN introduced measures to regulate the use of generative AI, updating its principles for responsible AI utilization. These new guidelines clarify expectations concerning risk assessment, enabling public bodies to explore and deploy AI solutions with greater ease.

There has been a notable increase in participation from public bodies. Last spring, 83 agencies reported AI initiatives, marking a 30 per cent rise from 65 reported eight months earlier. The MCN credits this increase partly to the broadening democratization of AI technologies.

Variety of Initiatives Across Sectors

Among the 258 initiatives, approximately one-third—81 projects—focus on planning, prediction, and decision support. These projects include tools designed to assist in medical diagnoses or identify students at risk of academic failure. For instance, the Ministry of Education has implemented a system to predict dropout risks from Grade 6 through to Secondary 5.

On the health front, a pilot project by the Ministry of Health and Social Services aims to develop a model for mapping patient flow in hospitals. This initiative seeks to reduce emergency room wait times and average patient stays before being admitted to hospital beds.

Following the planning and decision support tools, the second most common type of AI initiative includes assistants or conversational agents, with 68 projects recorded. Other categories encompass automation (36 projects), image processing or medical imaging (27 projects), and geomatics and geospatial management (22 projects). The health and social services sector is described as one of the most active areas, accounting for about one-third of all reported initiatives, followed by higher education with 58 projects spanning various cégeps and universities.

The MCN also highlighted that 61 AI initiatives are specifically aimed at enhancing citizen service delivery.

Looking Forward: Continued Expansion of AI

The ministry anticipates that the growth in AI applications within public administration will persist over the coming year. “AI technologies continue to evolve rapidly, while the needs of public bodies keep growing,” the MCN stated. As public bodies enhance their capacity to adopt these technologies, the terrain is ripe for further initiatives.

Since a ministerial order was enacted in February 2024, public agencies have been mandated to report any AI project or initiative to the MCN each year. Notably, cybersecurity-related initiatives remain exempt from public overview.

The MCN’s comprehensive approach to fostering responsible AI use ensures that public bodies can safely and effectively integrate these technologies into their operations, paving the way for enhanced service delivery and operational efficiency.