Skkynet Cloud Systems, Inc. has announced a C$2.6 million project to accelerate the development of secure Industrial Artificial Intelligence technologies, with partial funding of C$1.04 million from the Government of Canada through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario. The initiative focuses on enhancing Skkynet's proprietary Cogent DataHub® data intelligence platform to meet growing demand for AI in industrial automation while maintaining security protocols. This project represents a significant step in bridging the gap between industrial operations and advanced AI capabilities while maintaining the security standards required in critical infrastructure.
The project was highlighted during a public announcement by the Honourable Evan Solomon, Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation and Minister responsible for FedDev Ontario. Minister Solomon emphasized that Southern Ontario's thriving tech ecosystem includes innovative companies like Skkynet, and supporting their AI capabilities strengthens the local economy while securing Canada's position in the industrial software market. Additional details about the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario can be found at https://feddev-ontario.canada.ca.
According to company executives, the investment will support the development of secure, real-time data bridges that allow industrial operators to feed training data to AI models and execute AI-driven control logic without exposing critical operational networks to security risks. This addresses a fundamental challenge in industrial AI adoption where security concerns have often hindered implementation. Gary Tillery, CEO of Skkynet, stated that this announcement marks a major milestone for both the company and Canada's industrial AI ecosystem, with the support helping expedite delivery of AI capabilities that help industries optimize operations and improve efficiency.
The project will expand Skkynet's engineering team and accelerate commercialization of next-generation Industrial AI solutions tailored for complex industrial environments where security is paramount. Paul Thomas, President of Skkynet, emphasized that this contribution will allow the company to fast-track critical developments in their technology, ensuring that industrial clients can adopt AI solutions securely and effectively. The company also acknowledged strategic guidance from Aarif Nakhooda, CFO of CoreAI and Customer Success at Keystone AI, whose expertise in artificial intelligence frameworks helped refine the project's scope to address modern industrial demands.
The development of secure data bridges could potentially transform how industries implement AI-driven automation, allowing for real-time optimization without compromising network security. This initiative matters because it directly addresses one of the most significant barriers to industrial AI adoption: the conflict between the need for data access to train AI models and the imperative to protect operational networks from cybersecurity threats. By creating secure pathways for data exchange between operational technology and AI systems, Skkynet's project enables industries to leverage artificial intelligence for process optimization, predictive maintenance, and efficiency improvements without exposing their most critical infrastructure to vulnerabilities. For more information about Skkynet and its Industrial AI initiatives, visit https://skkynet.ai.
