CAE to invest $1 billion over five years in training innovation

CAE flight simulator

CAE-built Bombardier C Series Aircraft Full-flight Simulator. Photo courtesy of CAE.

CAE, Montreal, Que., will be investing $1 billion over the next five years in innovation to stay at the forefront of the training industry. The investment will help position CAE, Québec and Canada as leaders in digital technology.

The Government of Canada and the Government of Québec will provide a combined investment of close to C$200 million over the next five years.

The investment will help fund Project Digital Intelligence, a digital transformation project to develop the next generation training solutions for aviation, defence & security and healthcare.

“By seizing new technologies such as artificial intelligence, big data, or augmented reality, as well as many others, and applying them to the science of learning, we will revolutionize the training experience of pilots, aircrews and healthcare professionals, as well as improve safety," said Marc Parent, president and chief executive officer of CAE.

Project Digital Intelligence will transform CAE’s products and services to leverage digital technologies, ranging from big data to artificial intelligence, cloud-computing, cybersecurity and augmented/virtual reality. CAE will develop its next-generation training technologies for aviation, defence & security, and healthcare, while making use of its extensive training network and data ecosystem.

CAE will carry out operations in Canada, utilizing its R&D laboratories, as well as its test and integration facilities. As part of the project, CAE will develop an innovation campus in its Montréal site. The company will collaborate and co-develop technology solutions with small and medium companies from across Canada and will qualify more than 150 new innovative suppliers across the country and will also work with over 50 post-secondary institutions and research centres.