AI Nexus for Black Innovators

AI Nexus for Black Innovators (AINBI) is a federally incorporated nonprofit committed to advancing inclusive access to artificial intelligence, digital skills, innovation, and economic opportunity for Black communities across Canada. We are a non-political, non-religious, community-centered organization guided by equity, inclusion, education, innovation, collaboration, and the belief that Black communities should have the opportunity to learn, build, lead, and shape the future of AI.

In 2023 during the International Youth Day Summit in Ottawa Black leaders from across Canada spoke openly about what was missing: access to digital skills AI education mentorship leadership opportunities funding and a stronger voice in the future of technology.

In 2024 we continued listening through consultations with different communities and leaders. Again and again we heard the same concern. Too many Black youth professionals entrepreneurs and community organizations were not connected to the opportunities emerging through AI.

The numbers made the urgency even clearer. Canada’s Black population reached 1.5 million people in 2021 and is projected to surpass 3 million by 2041. Yet Black Canadians represented only 4.4% of Canada’s labour force in 2024 and just 8% of core working age Black workers were employed in professional scientific and technical services in 2023.(Statistics Canada)

At the same time AI is moving rapidly into those very sectors. 52% of workers in professional scientific and technical services were using generative AI and AI use among Canadian workers grew from 17% to 30% in less than a year.(Statistics Canada)

There is also a deeper problem: Canada still does not consistently report Black-specific participation across the AI workforce ecosystem. Without the data it becomes harder to see who is missing and harder to design solutions that close the gap.

That conversation could not end in the room. AINBI was created to turn this gap into action by building pathways into AI connecting Black innovators strengthening skills and leadership supporting entrepreneurship and bringing Black voices into research policy investment and decision making.

Our goal is simple: Black Canadians should not only use AI. We should be building it leading it investing in it governing it and shaping what comes next.