Telus Data Centre in Kamloops to operate as new AI Factory

KAMLOOPS — The Telus Data Centre in Kamloops will feature an artificial intelligence (AI) factory.

In a news release issued Tuesday (April 15) morning, Telus announced its first Sovereign AI Factories will be located in Kamloops and Rimouski, Quebec. The Canadian telecommunications company says its data centres, including an expansion at 1458 Bunker Rd. in Kamloops, will become the AI factories that will provide sovereign, high-performance AI computing resources to power Canada’s digital infrastructure.

Telus states the factories will keep data security and privacy in sectors such as health care, finance and public services, and create new job opportunities.

“Our Sovereign AI Factories are the first of their kind in Canada and represent a key step forward in our country’s AI journey,” Darren Entwistle, TELUS president and CEO, states. “Importantly, this initiative will strengthen our nation’s ability to develop advanced AI technology and increase productivity, empowering homegrown businesses and Canadian researchers to innovate courageously and compete on the global stage.”

Telus says the AI factories will be powered by 99 per cent renewable energy, and their natural cooling systems reduce water consumption by more than 75 per cent compared to traditional data centres, saving 17 million litres of water per year.