Making Sense.

Uber is rolling out ChatGPT Work to more than 30,000 employees after a pilot with about 1,000 staff. Roughly 80% of the pilot's early users weren't engineers, and they used it to analyze operational data, translate training materials for different markets and build their own dashboards. Going forward, teams across the company will use it for research, presentations and multi-step workflows, supported by an internal library of AI skills, a set of approved integrations and dedicated training. In our last issue, we shared BearingPoint's finding that fewer than a third of companies have moved AI beyond the pilot stage. Uber offers one example of how to get there, testing with a small group first and building support around the tool before opening it to everyone.

Ottawa followed through on a National AI Strategy pledge with $500 million over five years for the Regional Artificial Intelligence Initiative, which helps Canadian businesses adopt and commercialize AI. In BC, the money flows through PacifiCan, which sets its own intake windows and deadlines, and the program targets sectors including health and life sciences, energy and resources, agriculture, manufacturing and robotics.

A week later, Ottawa laid out how it will spend $1.75 billion across two previously announced venture capital programs run by the Business Development Bank of Canada. Most of the new $750-million strategy, $675 million, goes to companies at Series B and beyond, with $75 million for pre-seed and seed. The first stream of the $1-billion Growth VCCI is now taking expressions of interest from fund managers until January 21. Because the money flows through investment funds, industry leaders expect it could take 12 to 18 months to reach startups.

Manitoba will put revenue from its levy on large crypto miners and AI data centres toward lowering Manitoba Hydro rates for households, the province's finance minister said. The levy effectively doubles the electricity rate for crypto and data-centre operations drawing more than 5 megawatts. The province expects it to raise up to $20 million a year, or about $50 per household, with lower bills starting early next year.

For now, almost all of that money will come from crypto mining, since only one proposed data centre in Manitoba is big enough to qualify, a 5.5-megawatt project near Rosser. The finance minister framed the levy as a matter of fairness, arguing that operations using that much electricity should contribute to the system everyone relies on. It's one model for BC to watch as its own data-centre debate continues.