New study: 9 in 10 businesses leaders say AI data sovereignty is non-negotiable
Montréal, October 29, 2025 – 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, concerns over environmental sustainability and barriers to adoption remain – including data quality and availability, a lack of skilled talent, and concerns about matters of governance, risk and compliance.