Ontario college offering help to small business in navigating artificial intelligence

“AI is here to stay,” says an Ontario college president who wants small- and medium-sized businesses to look to their college partners to navigate the new world of artificial intelligence.

“Most small and medium-sized businesses don’t have dedicated AI specialists or data scientists on staff. They may lack the capital for large-scale technology upgrades or the bandwidth to experiment without disrupting daily operations. Add in uncertainty around regulations, data privacy, cybersecurity, and ethics, and it’s no wonder adoption feels daunting,” said Durham College President Elaine Popp in an op-ed, Industry can’t innovate alone – it’s time to look to colleges, offered to media outlets.

“That’s where Canada’s colleges come in. We act as nimble, applied research partners, helping businesses integrate AI in ways that are practical, cost-effective, and safe.”

Popp said businesses know AI is “transforming the economy” and will play an even greater role moving forward, especially with Canada appointing its first-ever AI minister. Many business owners, she noted, “don’t know where to start. The risk, cost, and complexity can feel overwhelming.”

Countries around the world are racing to integrate AI into everything from manufacturing to healthcare, she added. “If Canada’s smaller firms can’t keep pace, they risk losing market share and missing the chance to lead in emerging industries. The creation of a federal AI minister is a pivotal signal that AI adoption is no longer optional if we want to remain competitive.”

Since launching its AI Hub in Oshawa in 2017, Durham College has worked with more than a hundred businesses to build prototypes, reduce adoption risks, and accelerate time to market, with a focus on real-world problem-solving and application, Popp said.

One of those projects is ADOREYES, a partnership to design a deep learning-based skin analysis platform that could identify and interpret various skin conditions using computer vision and AI models. The system aims to provide real-time insights and early detection warnings, enabling estheticians to make informed recommendations backed by data.

Another is a partnership with MinuteBox to create a tool that uses AI to sort scanned legal and accounting documents. “What once took hours now takes minutes, saving thousands of firms time and money while reducing human error.”

Both MinuteBox and ADOREYES were celebrated as recipients of the AI Hub’s AI Impact Awards in 2024 (MinuteBox) and 2025 (ADOREYES).

The college has also collaborated with Precise ParkLink since 2018, beginning with a project to integrate AI into parking access and control. This led to the creation of Joy, Canada’s first AI-powered virtual parking assistant kiosk, capable of answering questions about parking regulations.

The research team at the AI Hub added a multilingual language function, optimized AI development turnaround times and created a feedback system to improve response accuracy over multiple phases.

Durham College President Elaine Popp

“Joy now greets staff, patients and visitors in the main foyer of Humber River Hospital, learning from every interaction to provide more accurate, human-like responses.”

Popp said companies looking to harness new technology but worry about where to begin need to look to Ontario colleges on how to effectively utilize scarce resources. “Colleges bridge that gap by helping businesses test what works, build custom tools, retain rights to generated intellectual property and train both current staff and the next generation of leaders.”

Whether it’s saving lives, streamlining workflows or boosting sustainability, Popp believes these college and industry collaboration can turn AI from an abstract concept into a tangible tool.

“Industry can’t do this alone. If we want Canada to lead in AI, we need deliberate partnerships between businesses, colleges and government. Policymakers should prioritize funding for applied research with practical outcomes, while also exploring incentives, like tax credits, procurement strategies, and workforce development supports that promote collaboration. Business leaders can benefit from working with colleges as a safe testing ground before making significant investments.

“The power is in embracing it together.”

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