From 434 Projects to Digital Assistants: Quebec Expands AI Across Government Services

 Quebec is accelerating the use of artificial intelligence across its public administration, with at least 434 AI projects reported by 156 public bodies as of June. The initiatives range from automation and image processing to planning, prediction and decision support, signaling a shift from limited experimentation toward broader practical deployment.

Among the projects under development are conversational assistants that could help call centre employees find answers to citizens’ questions more quickly, with the goal of reducing wait times and improving public services. The government says the technology is still being tested internally and no date has been set for making such assistants directly available to the public.

The approach follows an unsuccessful 2024 experiment with a generative AI chatbot for Quebec.ca. The government ultimately decided not to launch the tool after testing showed an error rate that was considered too high and technology that was not mature enough for public use. Quebec has since prioritized internal deployment while improving its data and systems.

Quebec government data show that AI initiatives across the public administration increased by more than 50 per cent between 2024 and 2025. Sixty-one of the projects involve services delivered directly to the public, with health, education and natural resources among the sectors reporting the largest number of initiatives.

Quebec also began working with Canadian AI company Cohere and France’s Mistral in June to explore ways of integrating AI into government operations, while continuing collaboration with Quebec organizations including Mila, IVADO and Obvia. Officials say the Cohere and Mistral agreements currently carry no financial commitments, and that the goal is to improve employee efficiency and public services rather than reduce the size of the public service.