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Canada ranks near the bottom worldwide when it comes to AI training, public trust and literacy, according to recently released survey results by KPMG International and the University of Melbourne.
A global study of 48,000 people (including 1,025 Canadian residents) ranked Canada 44th in AI training and literacy out of 47 countries and 28th out of 30 advanced economies, as defined by the International Monetary Fund.
The online survey conducted between November 2024 and January 2025 also ranked Canada in the 42nd spot out of 47 countries when it comes to trust in AI systems and 25th out of the 30 advanced economies.
The polls shows that 24% of Canadian respondents said they had received AI training, compared with 39% of global participants. And 38% of Canadians surveyed said they had moderate or high-level knowledge of AI, compared with 52% of global respondents.
When those surveyed were asked to self-report their level of AI efficacy, that is, how skillfully they could use, communicate with or evaluate responses generated by AI, 47% of Canadians said they can use AI effectively, compared with 60% globally.
Thirty-four per cent of Canadians said they are willing to trust information from AI, compared with 46% globally and 50% of Canadians said they approve or accept the use of AI, compared with 72% globally.
A large portion of Canadians (86%) expressed moderate or high levels of concern about loss of privacy and intellectual property and 46% of Canadians report that AI risks outweigh the benefits, compared with 32% of global respondents.
