Inside Canada's Largest Tech Event: The Future of AI in 2026
In 2026, Canada’s AI ambitions aren’t just about technology—they’re about sovereignty, strategy, and global influence. Isabel Turcotte, CEO of All In, reveals how a Canadian-led tech event has evolved from a local idea into a geopolitical platform, with Germany named the 2026 Country of Honor due to shared values in 'middle power sovereignty' and complementary strengths—Germany in industrial AI, Canada in software-driven innovation. The event isn’t just a showcase; it’s a national lever for economic resilience, helping SMEs see how AI can drive growth, efficiency, and competitive advantage. Turcotte’s core message? Don’t wait to adopt AI—start by asking what you want to improve in your business, then benchmark against competitors and industry leaders. The real value of All In isn’t in the booths, but in the real-world proof of ROI from AI deployment across Canadian SMEs. The episode underscores that AI adoption is no longer optional for survival. With satellite 'All In Talks' in Vancouver and Toronto, and a flagship Montreal summit drawing over 7,500 attendees from 40 countries, the event is now a domestic hub for international collaboration. Behind the scenes, AI challenges focus on defense and smart cities—areas where public services are investing to do more with less. For small business leaders, the takeaway isn’t to build AI from scratch, but to attend, listen, and learn from peers who’ve already scaled.
AI adoption in 2026 is a survival skill, not a luxury—SMEs that delay risk being outpaced by competitors.
Germany is Canada’s Country of Honor at All In 2026 due to shared values in 'middle power sovereignty' and complementary AI strengths—Germany in industrial AI, Canada in software AI.
All In Talks bring tactical AI content directly to regional hubs like Toronto and Vancouver, connecting local builders with local adopters.
The Montreal Summit will feature 200 speakers, 200+ partners, and AI challenges focused on defense and smart cities—key areas for public sector innovation.
SMEs should start their AI journey by asking: 'What do I want to improve most in my business?' before exploring tools or vendors.
…and 3 more takeaways available in PodZeus
The Birth of All In: A Canadian-Led AI Movement
“If we want to be able to showcase what we do, we have to create our own event. So an event that is created for Canadian by Canadian to really showcase what we do well here in terms of solutions, but also all the great brains that we have.”
Why SMEs Should Attend All In: Bridging Builders and Buyers
“We could put lights into this. They could showcase to the potential adopters what they do well.”
All In Talks: Democratizing AI Access Across Canada
Smaller, content-focused satellite events in Vancouver and Toronto bring AI discussions directly to regional hubs, spotlighting local innovators and helping SMEs understand what solutions are available in their own communities.
AI as Geopolitical Strategy: Canada’s Role in Global Tech Leadership
“We want to see where could we be sovereign and where do we have to partner? More recently, we also talk about middle power sovereignty.”
The Montreal Summit: Where Innovation Meets Impact
The flagship event will host over 7,500 attendees, 200+ partners, 200 speakers, and workshops on AI for defense and cities—key areas where public services are investing to do more with less.
“So the idea came from this of a statement of saying, okay, if we want to be able to showcase what we do, we have to create our own event. So an event that is created for Canadian by Canadian to really showcase what we do well here in terms of solutions, but also all the great brains that we have.”
“We want to see where could we be sovereign and where do we have to partner? More recently, we also talk about middle power sovereignty.”
“So they really have to start first about thinking about what they want to improve the most within their business.”
Host
Guest
All In
organization
Isabel Turcotte
person
Germany
place
Montreal
place
Scale AI
organization
Vancouver
place
Toronto
place
UPS
organization
ADP
organization
Canadian SME Small Business Foundation
organization
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