Canadians lag behind their global peers when it comes to levels of training, literacy and trust in artificial intelligence systems, according to the “Trust, attitudes and use of artificial intelligence: A global study 2025” report published by KPMG International and the University of Melbourne.
Canada ranks 44th out of 47 countries when it comes to AI training and literacy. It ranks 28th among 30 advanced economies included in the study as identified based on the International Monetary Fund. With regard to trust in AI systems, Canada ranked 42nd out of 47 and 25th out of 30 advanced economies, according to KPMG.
Benjie Thomas, KPMG Canada CEO and senior partner, said that this low literacy is a significant obstacle to AI adoption.
“Low literacy in AI is holding Canadians back from trusting the technology, and that’s a major barrier to adoption. The more Canadians know about AI, the more likely they are to trust it and use it. We need to get Canadians and Canadian organizations excited about using AI because it can help boost our productivity and create a more competitive and dynamic economy,” he said in a statement.
Just 24 percent of Canadian respondents reported having had AI training against the global percentage of 39 percent. Thirty-eight percent of Canadians said they possessed moderate or high knowledge of AI compared to the 52 percent globally. Only 47 percent of Canadians reported being able to effectively use AI, compared to 60 percent of their international peers.
The limited AI literacy drove low levels of trust in AI systems, with just 34 percent saying they trusted AI-generated information compared to 46 percent globally. Only half of Canadians approved of AI use compared to the 72 percent worldwide.
Just 39 percent of Canadians reported experiencing poor outcomes from AI use, but 46 percent think AI’s risks trump its benefits. Eighty-seven percent said they had moderate or high concerns regarding cybersecurity risk, though only 32 percent experienced cyber breaches. Eighty-six percent of Canadians also reported having moderate or high concerns about loss of privacy or intellectual property.
Nonetheless, Thomas added that Canada must strengthen its competitive position in the wake of the US tariff conflict, which has threatened productivity.
“Canada’s economy is facing multiple pressures – US tariffs are upending global trade systems, geopolitical shifts are increasing operational risks, while technology advances at lightning speed. Now is the time for our organizations, institutions and governments to act boldly to boost prosperity and advance our competitive position - AI offers us a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to do that,” he said.
Seventy-five percent of Canadians called for AI regulation, with 73 percent indicating that government or current regulators should do so. Seventy-two percent said that the AI should be co-regulated by the industry, government, and existing regulators.
Eighty-nine percent of Canadians concurred that laws should be implemented to control the dissemination of misinformation from AI, and 87 percent said that news and social media outlets must ensure that users can identify AI-produced content. Eighty-three percent of Canadians said they would better trust AI under the following conditions:
- if there were mechanisms through which humans could override and modify AI-generated output
- if they could prevent the use of their personal data in training AI
- if accountability measures were implemented
- if AI output could be tracked for accuracy and reliability
- if AI complied with proper standards, governance, and regulation
- if a third party provided reassurance
Seventy-nine percent of Canadian respondents expressed confidence in universities and research institutions’ ability to develop and utilize AI for the best interests of the public. Just 51 and 53 percent were confident in commercial organizations and big technology companies’ ability to do the same.
“Canadians want assurances that AI systems are safe, secure and reliable. Governments, businesses, academic and non-profit institutions must work together with Canadians to advance AI responsibly and ethically, while prioritizing innovation and productivity first and foremost. We need transformational leadership and collaboration,” said Stephanie Terrill, Canadian managing partner for digital and transformation at KPMG Canada.
While no federal regulatory framework has been implemented in Canada, the federal government unveiled a Voluntary Code of Conduct on the Responsible Development and Management of Advanced Generative AI Systems. Under this code, organizations can agree to comply with voluntary commitments related to the responsible development and management of generative AI systems.
The “Trust, attitudes and use of artificial intelligence: A global study 2025” report obtained feedback from over 48,000 individuals across 47 countries, 1,025 of which resided in Canada. The research was led by Professor Nicole Gillespie, chair of trust at Melbourne Business School at the University of Melbourne and Dr Steve Lockey, research fellow at Melbourne Business School.