Bell & Cohere partner to deliver sovereign AI for Canada

Bell Canada and Cohere have signed a strategic agreement to deliver full-stack sovereign artificial intelligence (AI) solutions for government and enterprise customers throughout Canada, with a focus on security and data sovereignty.

The new partnership will make Cohere's secure, enterprise-grade AI capabilities available via Bell AI Fabric, Bell's AI delivery platform. This arrangement means Canadian government and enterprise clients will have access to Cohere's advanced models and customised AI applications specifically tailored to their operational requirements.

Cohere's agentic AI workspace platform, North, will form a central component of the offering. Large organisations in government and industry will be able to access North immediately, while a standardised version for small and mid-sized businesses is scheduled for release via Bell later in the year. Bell also aims to deploy North internally across its own operations, enabling employees to build and manage AI agents designed with proprietary Bell data.

Infrastructure and service integration

As part of the agreement, Bell will become the preferred provider of data centre infrastructure for Cohere's sovereign AI deployments in Canada. This will be underpinned by secure AI data centre capacity through the Bell AI Fabric. In turn, Bell has selected Cohere as its preferred provider of agentic AI solutions and large language models (LLMs) specifically for the Canadian context.

The Bell AI Fabric comprises four distinct layers: the hardware infrastructure layer, including what Bell describes as the largest sovereign AI data centres in the country on Canada's most extensive fibre network; the software infrastructure layer, which offers Cohere's LLMs that have been customised for Bell, as well as additional machine learning and cloud software; an advisory, technology and professional services layer led by Ateko, Bell's technology services division; and an application layer hosting consumer and business AI applications, including the North platform. Each layer, according to Bell, is supported by integrated cybersecurity, combining physical and network security measures with operational resilience protocols.

Statements from leaders

"At a critical time for Canada, we're proud to partner with Cohere to create a sovereign, full-stack AI solution, custom-built to support Canadian government and business. Working together, we will both transform Canadian businesses through cutting edge AI capabilities, while ensuring that the data remains secure and within Canada." Mirko Bibic, President and CEO, Bell Canada

Aidan Gomez, Co-founder and CEO of Cohere, highlighted the joint focus on security and sovereignty for clients seeking efficient AI solutions without compromising privacy or data safety. He said:

"Our partnership with Bell Canada will provide the Canadian government and enterprises with world-class options for sovereign, security-first AI. This has the potential to be truly transformative for organizations looking to massively increase their productivity and efficiency without any compromise on data security and privacy."

Government support for the partnership was also voiced by The Honourable Evan Solomon, Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation, who commented:

"These companies exemplify the spirit of Canadian ingenuity and are solidifying Canada's sovereign AI capabilities. This partnership will help strengthen our position on the global stage and pave the way for a brighter, more advanced future for the Canadian economy."

Deployment and application

The partnership will also see Bell implementing Cohere's North agentic AI platform across its business, allowing internal teams to develop new AI agents utilising Bell's proprietary data, with a view to enhancing efficiency and operational effectiveness. This deployment will contribute to the company's managed service offering for government and enterprise customers, with Ateko drawing on Bell's internal experience to advise clients on their own AI rollouts.

Cohere's participation extends Bell AI Fabric's reach, offering new AI software options for Canadian organisations interested in AI technologies that respect national data sovereignty requirements. The partnership is designed to allow customers to implement AI agents and automation solutions while retaining security, privacy, and Canadian data residency standards, with no need to independently manage the AI infrastructure.