The Government AI Playbook That's Saving $2M a Week

<p>Government AI projects are often criticized for moving slowly, but Alberta is proving otherwise.</p><p><br></p><p>In this episode, we sit down with Janak Alford, Deputy Minister of Technology and Innovation for the Government of Alberta, to understand how Alberta is using AI to save $2 million every week while accelerating digital service delivery, improving compliance, and raising software quality standards.</p><p><br></p><p>Janak shares why governments and enterprises should stop waiting for the &quot;perfect&quot; AI solution and start building internal AI capabilities. From AI factories and builder culture to open-source tools, sovereign AI, cybersecurity, and AI-powered software development, this conversation offers a practical blueprint for organizations looking to modernize with AI and deliver measurable results.</p><p><br></p><p>If you&#39;re tired of AI hype and want to see what real implementation looks like, don&#39;t miss this one.</p><p><br></p><p>Follow and like this video for weekly conversations on AI, technology, digital transformation, and the future of work and technology.</p><p><br></p><p>In this episode:</p><p>00:00 Intro</p><p>01:08 Alberta&#39;s mission to transform government with AI</p><p>04:28 Why every government faces the same AI challenge</p><p>07:53 About Info-Tech</p><p>08:33 The vision for AI-driven government</p><p>10:33 AI Academy: Training 30,000 public servants</p><p>12:12 Building thousands of AI applications</p><p>15:25 The future of AI agents in government services</p><p>17:03 Beyond AI tools: Building an AI strategy</p><p>18:07 AI factories, compliance &amp; software development</p><p>23:53 Overcoming bureaucracy with builder culture</p><p>30:35 Saving $2 million every week with AI</p><p>32:19 The velocity papers explained</p><p>37:02 AI factory, AI garage &amp; government modernization</p><p>42:25 Open-Source AI tools changing government</p><p>48:18 Where organizations should start with AI</p><p>54:34 The biggest AI myths leaders believe</p><p>55:16 Why Copilot isn&#39;t your AI strategy</p><p>57:44 Why subject matter experts drive AI success</p><p>01:02:19 Making AI safe without slowing innovation</p><p>01:08:28 Sovereign AI and Canada&#39;s AI future</p><p>01:15:08 Building Canada&#39;s AI ecosystem</p><p>01:16:20 Final thoughts</p><p><br></p><p>Connect with Janak:</p><p>LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janak-alford/</p><p>X: https://x.com/JanakAlford</p><p><br></p><p>Our links:</p><p>Visit our website: https://www.infotech.com/?utm_source=youtube&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=podcast</p><p>Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@InfoTechRG</p>