Bell Canada (BCE) and Cisco (NASDAQ:CSCO) have signed a memorandum of understanding to collaborate on a sovereign artificial intelligence infrastructure offering for customers in Canada.
The proposed offering will combine Bell’s Canadian data centre, network and operational capabilities with Cisco’s AI, security, observability, infrastructure monitoring and management technologies, including its Sovereign Critical Infrastructure portfolio.
The companies said the collaboration is aimed at government agencies, regulated industries and other organisations where data residency, security and operational control are priorities.
Companies to Explore Cisco AI PODs
The collaboration will focus on developing a Canadian platform for sovereign AI, supporting modular AI infrastructure deployments and establishing flexible commercial models.
Bell and Cisco will assess how Cisco AI PODs architectures can be combined with Canadian infrastructure, connectivity and operational services.
The companies will also explore consumption-based commercial models designed to allow customers to align costs with their use of AI infrastructure.
The memorandum represents an agreement to explore and develop the proposed offering, rather than a completed commercial deployment.
Bell Targets Sovereign AI Deployments
“Bell is focused on helping turn sovereign AI from ambition into infrastructure Canadian organizations can use,” said John Watson, Group President, Business Markets, Bell Cyber, AI Fabric and Ateko. “Through this collaboration with Cisco, we will work to make it easier to deploy and scale sovereign AI infrastructure for customers that need greater control, resilience and confidence in the systems behind their most critical workloads.”
The proposed infrastructure is intended to provide organisations with greater control over where AI workloads and associated data are hosted and operated.
The collaboration also builds on Bell’s existing Bell AI Fabric initiative.
Cisco Adds Sovereign Infrastructure Technologies
Raj Juneja, President of Cisco Canada, said the collaboration would combine Cisco’s Sovereign Critical Infrastructure portfolio with Bell’s Canadian data centre capacity, connectivity and operational capabilities.
Juneja said the companies intend to support infrastructure that is “configurable, secure and easier for organizations to deploy with confidence.”
The statements regarding the expected capabilities and benefits of the proposed infrastructure represent the companies’ plans for the collaboration.
Financial terms of the memorandum of understanding were not disclosed.
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