AI & Data Summit 2026 Toronto

5–6 Mar 2026

Toronto

AI & Data Summit 2026 Toronto

Unlocking the Power of Data and AI

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Overview

The IDC Canada AI and Data Summit is the premier event for senior technology and business executives driving artificial intelligence and data strategies across the country. Designed for CDOs, Heads of Data, and AI and innovation leaders, this full-day program delivers high-impact insights and actionable strategies focused on Canada’s top priorities: scaling AI adoption, ensuring data quality and governance, and managing regulatory compliance in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.

 

As Canadian organizations accelerate investment in AI and data-driven transformation, they must navigate complex challenges such as data privacy, ethical AI, and the forthcoming Artificial Intelligence and Data Act (AIDA). IDC research shows that data quality, integration, and accessibility remain top barriers to realizing AI’s business value, and that organizations are increasingly focused on operationalizing AI responsibly to build stakeholder trust. This event equips leaders to turn data into a trusted strategic asset while embedding transparency, ethics, and accountability into AI initiatives.

 

IDC analysts and industry experts will guide you through building future-ready data architectures, operationalizing AI responsibly, and delivering measurable business impact. Through keynote sessions, panels, and collaborative discussions, this event provides Canada’s leaders with the tools and frameworks to transform AI and data into a foundation for innovation, resilience, and sustainable growth.

Event Highlights & Key Topics

Data Value Reinvention in the Age of AI

Organizations are shifting from thinking about “using AI” to “leveraging data for AI value,” integrating data maturity practices like cataloging, lineage, and observability to fuel model performance and business impact.

Scaling AI: From Pilot to Enterprise Deployment

Moving beyond experimentation, leaders create robust MLOps pipelines, governance frameworks, and change strategies to embed AI into core operations at scale with sustainability and reliability.

Trust, Transparency and Responsible AI

Embedding fairness, bias mitigation, auditability, and explainability across the AI lifecycle helps build user confidence, regulatory alignment, and long-term trust in intelligent systems.

Data Sovereignty, Governance and Interoperabilit

Balancing data residency, regulatory constraints, and cross-border flow requires hybrid cloud strategies, shared governance models, and interoperable architectures that meet business needs.

Generative and Agentic AI: The Next Frontier

As generative and agentic models go beyond assistance, leaders focus on guardrails, cost/risk trade-offs, hybrid model design, and alignment with existing AI systems.

Infrastructure Evolution: Edge, Cloud and AI Platforms

Deploying AI at scale depends on modern, flexible infrastructure spanning edge and cloud, optimized for latency, throughput, cost, sovereignty, and workload distribution.

Business Value and ROI from AI & Data

Translating AI and data experiments into measurable business outcomes demands clear KPI frameworks, strong business cases, and scalable use cases tied to financial value.

People, Culture and AI Readiness

Success requires preparing teams with AI literacy, reskilling, cross-functional collaboration, and leadership that navigates resistance and embeds data-driven habits into daily workflows.

Ecosystems, Partnerships and Innovation Models

Advancing AI and data at scale entails co-innovation via startup alliances, consortia, vendor collaborations, open data spaces, and shared platforms that accelerate adoption.

Future Regulation and Strategic Foresight

Anticipating evolving global AI regulations, embedding compliance early, and running scenario planning for regulatory shifts helps organizations stay ahead in a dynamic policy landscape.

Expert Perspectives

Hear from global thought leaders, visionary CIOs, and celebrity speakers redefining technology, leadership, and innovation across the region.

Keynote
9:15 am

IDC Keynote: Agentic AI at Scale: Accelerating Innovation While Managing Risk

How organizations are deploying agentic AI to drive rapid innovation, while navigating complex regulator requirements around data privacy, security, and ethical AI

Tony Olvet | IDC

Group Vice President, Worldwide C-Suite and Digital Business Research

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#CIO
Tony Olvet
#CIO

Testimonials That Tell the Story

Discover what past delegates have to say about their experience. From insightful sessions to meaningful connections that made the event truly worthwhile.

Delegate Feedback

“I love attending your events! You always cover a diverse range of ideas on the topic but also keep it framed around the topic. I love the balance of presentations, panels and relevant hot topics. I always come away with renewed excitement of how I can positively impact my organization.”

Anonymous

Delegate Feedback

IDC+CIO Summit Canada perfectly balanced high-level visionary thinking with the practical, actionable strategies needed to navigate the future of IT. I walked away feeling not just inspired but fully equipped for what’s next.

Anonymous

Event Highlights 2025

Partners

Our partners will be revealed soon. Interested in partnering? Contact us!

Venue

Venue details coming soon. Event will be held in Toronto.

Join Us!

Don’t miss the AI & Data Summit 2026 Toronto—Building Intelligence that Creates Real Value​.

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