The University of Toronto has signed a multi-year partnership with Canadian AI company Cohere to support the secure and responsible deployment of Artificial Intelligence across teaching, research and university operations.
The University of Toronto has announced a multi-year partnership with Cohere to accelerate the adoption of secure, sovereign Artificial Intelligence across the institution.
The collaboration will see Cohere’s enterprise AI technology integrated into the University’s forthcoming enterprise-wide AI platform, supporting teaching, research, student services, administration and operational activities.
Founded in 2019 by former University of Toronto students Aidan Gomez, Nick Frosst and Ivan Zhang, Cohere develops enterprise AI models and applications designed to give organisations greater control over how AI is deployed and how sensitive data is managed.
Under the partnership, Cohere’s agentic AI platform, North, will provide an orchestration layer capable of connecting information across university systems, co-ordinating complex workflows and supporting staff and students while keeping data under the University’s control.
Donna Kidwell, Chief Information Officer, University of Toronto, said: “This partnership marks both a homecoming and the beginning of a new stage of evolution.
“It’s designed to bring strategists, builders and our community together to demonstrate how secure, sovereign, human-centred AI can be deployed across the university.”
The initiative builds on the University’s wider AI strategy, which was developed following recommendations from an institutional task force established in 2024. Central to that strategy is the AI Kitchen, a secure environment where staff and researchers can evaluate AI technologies, develop new applications and explore responsible approaches to AI deployment.
The AI Kitchen provides governed access to AI tools, approved datasets and technical frameworks covering procurement, privacy and data management. During its pre-launch phase, the initiative is gathering feedback from across the University community to identify opportunities to improve student services, administrative processes and other institutional functions.
Joelle Pineau, Chief AI Officer, Cohere, said: “Cohere and the University of Toronto share deep Canadian roots and a commitment to strengthening Canada’s leadership in AI.
“This partnership combines U of T’s research and education expertise with Cohere’s secure, enterprise-grade AI technology to support responsible adoption at scale.
“North, Cohere’s flagship agentic AI platform, will connect trusted information across university systems, coordinate complex workflows and help faculty, librarians, staff and students work faster, access services more easily and make better-informed decisions, while keeping sensitive data secure and under U of T’s control.”
Professor Susan McCahan, Associate Vice-President and Vice-Provost, Digital Strategies, University of Toronto, said the partnership reinforces the institution’s commitment to deploying AI responsibly, with safety, privacy and security underpinning future initiatives.
