Bell Canada has entered into a partnership with Cohere to utilize artificial intelligence infrastructure services through Bell AI Fabric. This collaboration involves Buzz High Performance Computing, a subsidiary of Hive Digital Technologies Ltd., and Hypertec, a Quebec-based company, along with Nvidia accelerated computing. Bell will provide data center space in Merritt, B.C. for this initiative.
Under the agreement, Cohere, a Toronto-based firm, will leverage this platform to operate its foundational models and offer secure AI solutions to government and corporate clients. The goal of the collaboration is to establish an environment conducive to conducting crucial research and development on AI models using Canadian resources.
Michel Richer, president of Bell AI Fabric, emphasized the significance of this agreement in facilitating organizations’ transition from experimental AI use to production on Canadian-operated infrastructure. Bell AI Fabric was launched over a year ago to cater to the AI requirements of Canadian businesses and governments, offering services ranging from strategy development to infrastructure deployment.
BCE Inc., Bell’s parent company, has raised its revenue forecast for the AI business, aiming to generate around $2 billion in revenue from AI-powered enterprise solutions by 2028. As part of its tech services expansion, BCE introduced Ateko and Bell Cyber brands last year, witnessing a 113% revenue growth in AI-powered solutions from these brands in their first quarter.
Bell and Cohere previously announced their partnership to deliver sovereign AI solutions for government and enterprise clients in Canada. The collaboration integrates Cohere’s agentic AI platform North into Bell AI Fabric, allowing clients to create AI agents and automation solutions without managing the AI infrastructure.
Michael Pelosi, Cohere’s country manager for Canada, highlighted the importance of AI deployment with a focus on data protection, technology reliability, and infrastructure alignment with Canadian standards. This partnership enhances Cohere’s ability to provide advanced AI solutions tailored for real-world applications, meeting the specific needs of Canadian customers.