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

Government AI projects are often criticized for moving slowly, but Alberta is proving otherwise. 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. Janak shares why governments and enterprises should stop waiting for the "perfect" 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. If you're tired of AI hype and want to see what real implementation looks like, don't miss this one. Follow and like this video for weekly conversations on AI, technology, digital transformation, and the future of work and technology. In this episode: 00:00 Intro 01:08 Alberta's mission to transform government with AI 04:28 Why every government faces the same AI challenge 07:53 About Info-Tech 08:33 The vision for AI-driven government 10:33 AI Academy: Training 30,000 public servants 12:12 Building thousands of AI applications 15:25 The future of AI agents in government services 17:03 Beyond AI tools: Building an AI strategy 18:07 AI factories, compliance & software development 23:53 Overcoming bureaucracy with builder culture 30:35 Saving $2 million every week with AI 32:19 The velocity papers explained 37:02 AI factory, AI garage & government modernization 42:25 Open-Source AI tools changing government 48:18 Where organizations should start with AI 54:34 The biggest AI myths leaders believe 55:16 Why Copilot isn't your AI strategy 57:44 Why subject matter experts drive AI success 01:02:19 Making AI safe without slowing innovation 01:08:28 Sovereign AI and Canada's AI future 01:15:08 Building Canada's AI ecosystem 01:16:20 Final thoughts Connect with Janak: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janak-alford/ X: https://x.com/JanakAlford Our links: Visit our website: https://www.infotech.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=podcast Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@InfoTechRG